Secret EU Spy Drama Unfolds: Von der Leyen vs Kallas and the Future of Commission Intelligence | APT - video Dailymotion

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Is the European Commission building its own “spy agency”? Ursula von der Leyen’s plan to create a new intelligence cell is raising eyebrows — from legal questions to potential turf wars with Kaja Kallas and the EU’s diplomatic service.  In this briefing from Brussels, reporters probe what the new EU intelligence cell would actually do, whether it’s legal for the Commission to engage in intelligence activities, how it might overlap or conflict with the EEAS, and the potential tensions between EU institutions and member states.  #EU #EUPolitics #UrsulavanderLeyen #KajaKallas #SpyAgency #EuropeanCommission #EEAS #Geopolitics #EUnews #Brussels

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00:00I think this is a question for Balazs. It's regarding various media outlets reporting that

00:04the European Commission has begun setting up a new intelligence body. I'd like confirmation

00:09whether this is true, what the office aims to do, the impetus behind why it's being established

00:14and when it will be up and running. Thank you. Thank you, Angela. Yes, that will be indeed for

00:20Balazs. Good afternoon. So we are at an early stage of this idea, so the amount of information

00:34I can share is fairly limited, but let me give it a call nonetheless. So we are in a challenging

00:39geopolitical and geo-economic environment and the Commission, because of this, is examining

00:45how to strengthen its security and intelligence capabilities. So as part of this approach,

00:50the creation of a dedicated cell within the Secretary General is being considered. This

00:56would build an existing expertise, of course, within the Commission and, for example, play

01:01a key role in the preparation of the security colleges. It will be a complementary initiative,

01:07so it will complement the work of the Security Directorate of the Commission and will also

01:11closely cooperate with the respective services of the European External Action Service. So that's

01:18pretty much it for now. The concept is being developed. Discussions are ongoing, so nothing

01:23further that I could share at the moment.

01:25Thank you, Balazs. Angela, you have a follow-up?

01:31Yes. These news outlets linked the opening or the potential setting up of the new cell to

01:38the EU combating hybrid threats. Is this the geopolitical environment that you mentioned? Thanks.

01:45Well, I think more broadly, when we look at the international landscape, whether we are looking

01:54at it from a geopolitical or a geo-economic point of view, we see that the world is changing

02:00and we need to bear this in mind. And we have to strengthen our security and intelligence capabilities.

02:05And it is in this context that we are coming forward with this new initiative, which is

02:10in a very early stage.

02:13Oui, Karl.

02:14Yes, Karl Domain for Les Echos. Can you please elaborate on how the idea originated, what kind

02:24of staffing you are contemplating in terms of profiles and numbers? And did the Commission consult

02:33the member states before launching the project?

02:37Karl, as Balazs said, this is really at the incipients in terms of idea. We don't have much more elements

02:46than those already shared by Balazs. In any case, the idea is that it will be a small, a small

02:53sale. And it's meant to really also complement the work of the existing structures, notably

03:01within the external action service. So that's all we can say at this point.

03:06We can look into that question in particular. I wouldn't say that it will be a legal base for

03:26doing this, and what would this be?

03:29I think it's part of the organization of the Commission and how it organizes its work.

03:47We'll double-check if there's any requirement for a dedicated legal basis in that sense.

03:52Yes, Tomaso.

03:54Just a curiosity, have you already chosen a name for the new intelligence service? And

04:05approximately, may you give us a number of, I mean, of staff. It will be in the tens, hundreds.

04:14Thanks.

04:16Thank you, Tomaso. To my knowledge, there's, we haven't baptized it yet, because as I said,

04:21it's at the very early discussion stage, and I understand it's rather small, so I would

04:27put it rather in one hand than two or three, from what I understand. So really rather small.

04:38Good. Other questions?

04:39It's a question regarding today's judgment on the adequate minimum wages. I don't know

04:50if it's... I'll wait a minute.

04:52Let me just interrupt you with your understanding, just to make sure that we do not have other

04:56questions for Balazs. Now, I do see some online. If they are not addressed to Balazs, would you

05:05please put down your hands? They seem to be for Balazs. So, Gabriele, Rosana.

05:12Thank you, Paola. Gabriele, Rosana, il messaggero. It's on this, specifically, it's on this topic,

05:23because if I'm not wrong, and you mentioned it yourself, actually, the EAS has already a structure

05:30dealing with the intelligence coordination. So, what is the need? I mean, isn't that enough,

05:35or what's the need, the extra need you are feeling for going an extra step and establishing

05:41such a department, such an office within the commission services? Thanks.

05:48As Balazs said, this would be within the secretary general, which is one of the central services

05:56of the commission. So, the idea is really also to coordinate the existing work.

06:02Other questions to Balazs, I see Christian Spielmann.

06:07Yes, hello. I would like to know if it's really serious, this idea, this cellule. It's not the

06:19first time that we hear the commission do it, or the information is something that is very

06:25particular, it's something that is very jalousement garded by the Etats membres.

06:28Without the information, what can it do, your cellule? And then, I see it, sous the

06:32plume of a brilliant correspondant, that, effectively, at SEAE, they don't see this idea

06:37of a very good eye. Is it going to be towards a new affrontement between Kalazs and

06:43van der Leyen, which animerait a little bit more the institutional life? I swear to you

06:49frankly that, by the past, I've heard a lot of tentatives, and it has never

06:53réussi what you want to do. So, apart grossing a little the elements and

06:57renforcing a cellule in the institution, I don't see an intérêt to try to convince you.

07:03Well, I won't try to convince you, Christian, because, as I said, it's still on the

07:11level of a very, very, very, very, very, which is not yet developed, but mure.

07:20Thank you, Kalaz. But we will surely have the opportunity to convince you and to

07:28all other interests. And, as Balazs l'a very well said, the idea, it's not to

07:34replace whatever else, it's really to reinforce the organisms that already exist and to

07:42complement what already exists.

07:45Other questions to Balazs? And we move on in terms of topic? Yes? Oui? Si?

07:51Thank you. Encore sur le même sujet. Si tu dis qu'on va coordonner les travaux existants,

08:03c'est quoi les travaux existants? Donc, maybe Balazs, tu peux faire référence réellement

08:12à ce qui existe déjà. Donc, lorsqu'on regarde la direction de la sécurité auprès de la commission,

08:17l'idée, la base, c'est vraiment de regarder la sécurité institutionnelle, donc protéger

08:22l'institution, les bâtiments et le personnel contre des menaces de sécurité. Donc, c'est

08:28l'idée de base en ce qui concerne cette direction. Quand il s'agit du SAE, peut-être

08:34un État peut donner des idées complémentaires. Et donc, il faut voir cette nouvelle idée

08:38dans ce contexte. Donc, cette nouvelle cellule sera calibrée d'une telle manière à

08:44complémentaire de travail qui est menée par d'autres entités, notamment le INSEE qui

08:51existe. Voilà. Et donc, on clôture ce sujet.

08:55Et donc, on clôture ce sujet.

09:02Merci.

09:03Merci.

09:04Merci.

09:05Merci.

09:06Merci.

Secret EU Spy Drama Unfolds: Von der Leyen vs Kallas and the Future of Commission Intelligence | APT

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