Brexit: an agent of ‘disruptive change’ for UK and European intelligence?

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis short commentary article provides a brief evaluation of the question of ‘What does Brexit mean for British and European Intelligence Agencies?’ Several insights relating to possible implications going forward into the future are presented for their further consideration. How European intelligence work is conducted is broken-down into three differing arrangements, which variously overlap. The article concludes that ‘the third category’, consisting of EU intelligence arrangements, can be anticipated to be ‘most affected’. In their entirety, those entities do not exist in ‘splendid isolation’ from the others, particularly in terms of ‘data’ and ‘information’ relations and dynamics. A greater understanding of how contemporary intelligence works in Europe at its most fullest and comprehensive is advised, with at least potentially greater implications being heralded for ‘softer’ safety and law enforcement-related work. However precisely assessed, Brexit at least somewhat being an agent of ‘disruptive change’ for British and European intelligence cannot be discounted.