Socio-Cultural Intelligence in the EU

EU foreign policy and external relations constitute another dimension of the EU intelligence community. This chapter explains the relevance of socio-cultural intelligence for the EU’s external activities. The political-diplomatic hub established within EEAS is described as a set of intelligence tools and practices related to the monitoring of areas outside the Union. The role of EEAS is analysed in the context of the surveillance and assessment of the external environment of the Union. The significance of the COREU network in matters of foreign affairs and security is also assessed. Finally, the case of socio-cultural intelligence practised by the EU during the Arab Spring in North Africa is analysed in detail.