On Monday, November 17, 2025, the Strauss-Clements Intelligence Studies Project, the Strauss Center for International Security and Law, and Center for European Studies will host a panel discussion on “Between Stars and Shadows: Intelligence Oversight in the Low Countries.” We will be joined by Hugo Hillenaar, the Chairman of the Dutch Review Committee on the Intelligence and Security Services (CTIVD), Philippe Meert, a member of the Investigation Department of the Belgian Intelligence Oversight Committee, and Martin Dethier, legal adviser for the Belgian Intelligence Oversight Committee. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Michael Mosser, Director of the Center for European Studies.

While national security remains the sole responsibility of the Member States of the European Union (EU), intelligence activities increasingly intersect with EU law and institutions. Legal frameworks from both the EU and the Council of Europe influence how intelligence agencies operate, particularly in the field of data protection and privacy. This presentation provides an overview of the state of intelligence and its oversight in the EU. The specific situations of Belgium and the Netherlands are then examined from both a legal and practical perspective. The event is free and open to the public. Garage parking is available for a fee at the Manor Garage and the San Jacinto Garage. Parking will not be validated.

*This event is part of an occasional series of activities focused on a comparative study of non-U.S. intelligence organizations.