Brexit : A risk for the security in Europe

It was a delicate letter, the interior Minister Horst Seehofer sent in the summer of 2018 to the EU Commission. The CSU-man called after the Brexit a full security partnership with the United Kingdom. A "loss of Security of our population" would be unacceptable, wrote Seehofer. On this alone, the Minister was in Brussels displeasure: His claim did not meet the EU line, according to which security cooperation may not be in accordance with the Brexit, the same as before. And the EU States will try everything to not be divided. Shortly thereafter, the Federal government even went the distance to Seehofer's move had not been coordinated.

However, even if the procedure Seehofer's was not the custom: Many security experts share his fear that Leaving the safety could be at risk. They relate mainly to unregulated, No-Deal-Brexit, is not in the light of the political Chaos on the island is still on the table. Because the United Kingdom is for police and legal cooperation within the EU has an important role.

In a response to a request from the Left party warned the Federal Ministry of the interior in mid-March, for this case, in front of "potential security holes". The inner politician Konstantin Kuhle of the FDP considers the impact of Brexit on the internal security, even "dramatic". Because the security co-operation with the British was based on European rules, for which there is as yet no replacement.

An important is the role of the British in the case of Europol, the police authority of the EU. "Your Absence will be felt," said the EU expert Raphael Bossong of the Foundation for science and politics. This relates not only to the Manpower. The British food also a lot of information. The intelligence capabilities of the UK to act, according to Bossong, sometimes as a support. "After a hard Brexit, the British third state. You could give more information to Europol, but the Motivation for this is probably low,“ says the Green-inner politician Irene Mihalic. Europol should submit to the British then up to individual cases, no personal data. "Why should the British data, if you get nothing out of it?" Also Mihalic speaks of a "safety-relevant Problem."

a common investigation file separated

Important the British are in addition to the Schengen information system, SIS II, police officers from 30 EU countries can always have access to 80 million search data. A special role it plays, for example, for the tracking of illegal immigrants. The UK would be separated in the case of a No-Deal Leaving immediately.This would lead to a "restriction on the ability of persons and property, plant, and intelligence", predicts the Federal government.

The British would retire immediately from Eurojust, the EU judicial authority, the cross-border law enforcement promotes. You would no longer be part of Eurodac, the fingerprint identification system for asylum seekers. And the European arrest warrant would apply in the UK. Currently wanted persons can be passed relatively easy for law enforcement within the EU.

all of This would, of course, also for the British cons. "If you go out without a Deal, Britain could become the refuge for various criminals, because it is difficult to prosecute them," says EU expert Bossong.

The complete Chaos doesn't break out, of course, in the case of a No-Deal-Brexit. Bossong says: "There is no question that the UK and the EU-States cases, in the case of the really hot topics such as terrorism is suspected, continue to work together." Especially since the intelligence cooperation was not directly affected by the EU's exit. "But the daily police exchange is much more difficult."

Federal government relies on bilateral cooperation

The Federal government stressed, Germany and the United Kingdom have security issues a "close and trusting partnership" , the permanent from the Brexit unaffected. You want to focus once more on these bilateral channel, to security, to exchange relevant data. FDP-politician Kuhle criticized, however, that in this model, the advantages of a multilateral EU-lost database. "That's why the Federal government must submit as soon as possible an emergency plan to ensure the exchange of data also in the case of a hard Brexit." A prerequisite was also that the EU Commission is preparing a formal decision that, in the UK a adequate level of data protection.

The Green party politician Mihalic criticized the interior Ministry have identified all the problems, but also no Plan B submitted. "Obviously, one has to rely on it too much, that it comes to a regulated outlet."

the UK's challenging EU exit-Brexit – easy

When it comes to Brexit, with discharge of the contract, there are significantly less problems. Then the old rules for a transitional period would continue to exist. The EU and the UK have the opportunity to work out a security agreement. For Bossong, it is still doubtful whether the cooperation could continue as before. "Even with good will, it is not clear how the Status quo over saved." There will be restrictions. One way or the other.