"Thorough research into and analyse of the EU Joint Situation Centre is important for several reasons. First, within SitCen a merger is taken place between internal and external aspects of EU counterterrorism policy. Second, SitCen is an important channel through which horizontal structures of intelligence cooperation outside the formal scope of the EU merges with formalised vertical EU counterterrorist structures. Third it is not obvious at first sight to whom and how SitCen is democratically accountable. Fourth, reports from SitCen can have policy implications for the European Union and its member states; it is far from a marginal actor in the counterterrorist field" (Quoted from paper)