Between Stars and Shadows: Intelligence Oversight in the Low Countries
On Monday, November 17, the Strauss Center, Center for European Studies, and Strauss-Clements’ Intelligence Studies Project hosted “Between Stars and Shadows: Intelligence Oversight in the Low Countries.” We were joined by members of the Dutch Review Committee on the Intelligence and Security Services (CTIVD) and the Belgian Intelligence Oversight Committee. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Michael Mosser, Director of the Center for European Studies.
While national security remains the sole responsibility of the Member States of the European Union (EU), intelligence activities increasingly intersect with EU law and institutions. Legal frameworks from both the EU and the Council of Europe influence how intelligence agencies operate, particularly in the field of data protection and privacy. This presentation provides an overview of the state of intelligence and its oversight in the EU. The specific situations of Belgium and the Netherlands are then examined from both a legal and practical perspective.