'An EU intelligence agency is unnecessary and goes against the EU's treaties'

Commissioner Avramopoulos issued a call for the creation of a European intelligence agency, ahead of the Extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels. 

Reacting to the statements made, Conservative Home Affairs spokesman Timothy Kirkhope MEP (pictured) said: "Commissioner Avramopolous might want to read the EU's treaties which clearly say that national security is the competence of the member states.

"The Commissioner is right that the EU needs to work on building cooperation, trust and efficiency of existing systems; but some EU leaders need to stop thinking that the solution to every challenge the EU faces is more Europe.

"There are a large number of instruments which we can make better use of and make more effective.  We do need better sharing of information, but we do not need a new European intelligence agency to do that.

"1 January will see the counter-terrorism centre in EUROPOL ready for action; and an internet referral unit under EUROPOL remit is in the pipeline. I am also positive that the EU-PNR Directive will be finalized by the end of the year to give us more tools in the fight against terror and serious crime.

"An EU intelligence agency is not needed and not permitted in the EU treaties. In the aftermath of this attack we should be looking at practical measures, not the federalist ambitions of some."

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