Espionage, terrorism and extremism are offences typically planned and committed regardless of national borders. It is therefore necessary for PET to co-operate closely with foreign police authorities as well as security and intelligence services.

This co-operation involves a monitoring of and exchange on threat levels and, on the operational level, co-operation on specific investigations, the participants communicating via meetings or a secure communications network. Furthermore, PET participates in multilateral fora, of which more will be mentioned briefly below.

EU
Co-operation on combating terrorism within the European Union is done through the Terrorism Working Group. The role of this group is primarily to exchange information regarding terrorism as well as to initiate measures to improve European co-operation on combating terrorism. Among other things, Denmark has headed a project on the development of terrorist profiles. The project involves the co-operation of the EU-countries, through Europol channels, and other interested third party countries in the preparation of specific profiles that may assist in the identification of terrorists.

In addition, the EU “Clearing House” meets regularly to recommend individuals and organisations that should be placed on the EU list of terrorists.

CTG
The heads of the EU security services set up the Counter Terrorism Group (CTG) following the events on 11 September 2001.

The chairmanship of this group is rotated in line with the presidency of the EU. Thus PET chaired the CTG during the second half of 2002 and hosted two meetings in Copenhagen in August and December.

The CTG’s work focuses on Islamic terrorism and, among other things, includes the preparation of common threat assessments and discussions of initiatives to optimise the operational co-operation on combating terrorism. In addition, the group has initiated discussions on a number of organisational and structural issues; likewise, preparations for the admission of the services of the new EU member states are being made.

Europol
At the end of the 1990s, Europol’s mandate was expanded to include combating terrorism. This has resulted in a number of initiatives being taken regarding particularly the exchange of information and analysis on various areas of terrorism, including terrorist financing.

Furthermore, Europol was assigned the task of outlining the framework for the Counter Terrorism Task Force that the EU Council of Ministers decided to set up immediately after 11 September 2001. This task force consists of experts from the individual member states. PET made available a liaison officer to the task force, which has now been dissolved as an independent unit and integrated into the general Europol structure.

NATO
In its capacity as national security authority, PET represents Denmark on the NATO Security Committee. The role of this Committee is to advise the North Atlantic Council (Council) on issues related to the NATO security policies. The commitments involved in this work are described in the security circular of the Prime Minister’s Office.

PET also represents Denmark on the NATO Special Committee established in 1952 at the initiative of the Danish government. The Committee prepares classified reports with the aim of advising the Council on espionage and terrorism or related issues that may pose a threat to NATO. The presidency of the Committee is rotated between the member states and in 2004, PET will chair the Committee.

MEC
MEC (Middle Europe Conference) was established by a Dutch initiative in the mid-1990s with the objective of supporting the democratisation processes of the former Eastern bloc countries. The Group consists of a number of Western and Eastern European security and intelligence services who meet to discuss a wide range of issues of common interest. Information is also exchanged on the services’ structures, working practices and methods of control.