Long term intelligence sharing: the Five Eyes and the European Union

ABSTRACT Many scholars have pointed to intelligence sharing (also known as intelligence liaison) as one of the most closely guarded secrets within intelligence communities. The Five Eyes intelligence community is one of the biggest and most enduring multi-state intelligence sharing networks in the world. This article compares the European Union and the Five Eyes intelligence communities and identifies potential factors which foster long-standing intelligence relationships. This article argues that the decisions made by the Five Eyes, such as the creation of shared structural complementarities and existing cultural similarities, have created a path dependence between the Five Eyes powers. The same kind of path dependence has not been created when looking at the EU. A common identity has helped forge this path dependence and helped form a strong multi-state, long-term intelligence sharing relationship.