EU Will 'Never' Have Joint Intelligence Service Due to State Secrets - French MP

© Sputnik / Alexey Vitvitsky / Go to the mediabankReflection of the EU flag in a window of a building in Brussels.
Reflection of the EU flag in a window of a building in Brussels. - Sputnik International
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A joint European spy school may be useful in terms of exchanging information but will not lead to the creation of a unified EU intelligence service due to the sensitive information member states may want to withhold, French MP told Sputnik.

"A European intelligence school is conceivable as a means by which national intelligence services can learn best practices from one another. But there can never be an integrated [EU] intelligence service because of certain national secrets," Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, a member of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Security and Defense, and a member of France's Rassemblement bleu Marine (Marine Blue Gathering) alliance said Thursday.

READ MORE: Bye Britain! UK Excluded From New EU School for Spies Led by Greece, Cyprus

Although some states may want to share their intelligence in specific cases, there "can never be an integrated European intelligence service" if EU states want to retain their independence, Schaffhauser added.

"In the domain of military technology, France can never agree to pool her resources with other states. European initiatives in this area can take place only under national leadership, maybe with outsourcing to other countries but always under national control," Schaffhauser stressed.

EU flag is seen in front of the EU Commission Headquarters in Brussels. (File) - Sputnik International
EU Defense Ministers Endorse Creation of Joint Intelligence School
The politician's comments come after the defence ministers of the EU member states adopted a plan providing for the creation of a Joint EU Intelligence School (JEIS), which would provide education and training for the bloc's intelligence personnel.

The joint spy school is one of the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) projects aimed at encouraging closer defence cooperation among member states.

The views and opinions expressed by the speaker do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.

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