How we work

The intelligence cycle is a model used to organise the work of an intelligence service and to describe the various stages required to produce intelligence. Its loop-based structure is founded on continuous reassessment and allows constant adaptation to evolving threats and contexts, as well as to emerging needs.

The cycle includes five stages and seeks to produce intelligence that remains relevant, contextualised, and useful for decision-making.

1. Planning and Direction

The first stage is to define the information requirements. These requirements are formulated by a Ministerial Committee, which determines general intelligence policy and the direction of the SRE's activities; they depend, amongst other things, on geopolitical developments. Furthermore, the SRE's framework law (the Act of 5 July 2016 on the reorganisation of the State Intelligence Service) defines the threats that the Service is required to anticipate and prevent. Cooperation with the SRE's national and international partners also helps to identify new phenomena and contextualise threats.

On this basis, the identified needs are translated into specific objectives (key intelligence elements) to guide the collection process. This process is dynamic, thus constantly adapting to changing needs and circumstances.

2. Collection

Information collection is targeted and guided by the needs identified in the previous stage.

The SRE uses several sources. These include open-source intelligence, human intelligence, and information from national and international cooperation. It applies various collection methods suited to the context and follows the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity. These actions are strictly regulated by law and subject to independent oversight (see: Oversight of the SRE).

3. Processing

The third stage is a key moment in the intelligence cycle. All information gathered is centralised. It is then analysed and cross-checked for consistency and credibility. This thorough analysis creates a comprehensive overview and supports a reliable threat assessment.

4. Analysis and Production

This stage aims to produce a final intelligence product based on all the processed information.

Intelligence products take various forms. For example, they may be intelligence notes that present an objective analysis in accordance with analytical standards. These notes help identify emerging threats to national security.

5. Dissemination

The intelligence disseminated aims to:

• Support judicial or police investigations aimed at protecting the population against identified threats.
• Raise awareness among policymakers of certain phenomena and/or inform them of potential threats.
• Formulate new intelligence requirements or refine previously expressed requirements, thereby restarting the cycle.