Belgium's intelligence community: new challenges and opportunities

摘要

Recently Belgium's intelligence function has been heavily criticized, predominantly regarding its effectiveness and professionalism. Some voices have even gone as far as to propose abolishment of part of the intelligence community. This paper identifies why efficient intelligence gathering is more than ever a requirement for both the Belgian and European leadership. It reviews Belgium's intelligence history and studies the roots of its criticisms. Instead of proposing intelligence 'reform', it identifies important parameters of how contemporary intelligence should be conducted, and how the intelligence services can adapt within the constraints that apply to them.