Oostenrijk krijgt geen steun voor oprichting Europese geheime dienst (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU Justice and Interior Ministers rejected on Thursday an ambitious proposal by Austria calling for the creation of a European Intelligence Agency to reinforce the EU's actions against terrorism and organised crime.

The proposal, set out in a discussion paper presented by Austria's Interior Minister Ernst Strasser to his other EU counterparts on Thursday, was to set up a European intelligence service - but without police powers - with the aim of identifying at an early stage potential threats to the EU's security.

The paper, presented as part of the EU's Security Strategy adopted last year, highlights the need for a coordinated approach among EU states particularly after the recent series of letter bombs targeted at EU officials.

But there was an unenthusiastic response from Mr Strasser's colleagues.

Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell, whose country holds the EU presidency, described this document as "very interesting", but said that "there was a strong sense that before we create new agencies we have to learn to walk, before we can run".

Germany was also sceptical about the proposal, as it felt it would duplicate work being done by the EU's umbrella police organisation, Europol.

Mr Strasser's proposals also called for the creation of a European Security Monitor, a European Police Corps as well as having joint meetings between EU Justice and Home affairs ministers and foreign affairs ministers - which currently hold separate monthly meetings.