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.
Comments