The German government is seeking security technology from domestic authorities for the United States, according to a report by the German news magazine, Der Spiegel. The report states that the Public Security Department of the Federal Ministry of the Interior sent a call to subordinate authorities in the spring, in which it was mentioned that, in cooperation with the Federal Foreign Office, a list would be compiled of how to cooperate with the United States in the present and future.
The main focus of the initiative is on identifying the expertise, technology and capabilities that Germany could offer to the United States in the areas of security, law enforcement, border control and migration. The potential offerings could include expertise in the field of air security, such as drone defense, or technology and expertise in the fight against crime. Alternatively, Germany could offer its expertise in dialect recognition, identification and security checks of asylum seekers, or in disaster relief.
The Federal Ministry of the Interior has declined to comment on the document. German security authorities are currently growing increasingly concerned about being cut off from the information of the powerful US security agencies. “In the past decades, we in Germany and Europe have greatly profited from the capabilities of the American services. Unfortunately, this has given rise to a critical dependence” said Sebastian Fiedler, the parliamentary spokesperson for the SPD faction in the Bundestag, in an interview with the Spiegel.
The coalition of the CDU and SPD plans to grant additional powers to the security authorities. “The times of change must have a significant impact on all security authorities” said Fiedler, adding that “substantial resources” are needed, “and by that, I mean, of course, also budget allocations.”
Green Party leader, Konstantin von Notz, chairman of the parliamentary committee for the control of intelligence services, also demands that the services must be strengthened in the face of the changing world situation. At the same time, the cooperation with the European partners must be intensified. “The security situation does not allow for business as usual” said von Notz.