The French magazine L’Express has published a ranking of European intelligence services based on a survey of 60 current and former senior officers from 25 intelligence agencies worldwide, including the CIA and Mossad. The panel included 15 former heads of intelligence services, among them Yossi Cohen, former director of Israel’s foreign intelligence service. The Israeli service itself was not included in the ranking.
MI6 placed first. Respondents highlighted its capabilities in agent recruitment and the handling of double agents, as well as its focus on operations targeting Iranian, Russian, and Chinese structures. The service was also noted for its willingness to use aggressive methods.
France’s DGSE ranked second. It was described as the only European intelligence service with a demonstrated ability to conduct effective operations on a global scale. Colleagues referred to its officers as “elegant assassins.”
The Dutch AIVD took third place. Its strengths were identified in cyber operations and the high degree of trust it maintains with partner agencies.
Ukraine’s SBU and GUR placed fourth. They were compared to a “second Mossad,” characterized as innovative, proactive, creative, and prepared to accept operational risk. Germany’s BND ranked fifth and was described as functioning primarily as a research-oriented institution with limited active operations outside the country.
The intelligence services of Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Poland, and Denmark also appeared in the top ten.
Hungary, Bulgaria, and Slovakia ranked at the bottom, receiving no points. The Hungarian service was criticized for conducting surveillance on other EU member states during Viktor Orbán’s tenure. The Bulgarian and Slovak services were assessed as being subject to Russian influence. The Slovak service was ranked the lowest, with respondents citing issues of nepotism and professional shortcomings.