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14 Eyes Countries 2024
United States
The United States is one of the two founding members of the intelligence sharing alliance known as the 14 Eyes. The 14 Eyes started in the 1950s with the United States and the United Kingdom. The United States and the United Kingdom are still considered to be the leaders of the alliance. The United States is considered one of the Five Eyes members, which is a more exclusive sub-group of the 14 Eyes.
The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is one of the founding members of the 14 Eyes. It is considered to be the second-most influential and productive member of the alliance, behind only the United States. The Mi6 intelligence agency, which is the UK's primary foreign intelligence agency, is one of the most active agencies of any country in the 14 Eyes alliance. The United Kingdom is also part of the Five Eyes sub-group.
New Zealand
New Zealand is another member of the 14 Eyes that is also a member of the Five Eyes. However, New Zealand's membership in the Five Eyes group has been controversial with its citizens since it became public knowledge. Even the New Zealand government seems to be considering leaving the Five Eyes, due in part to the country's increasingly close ties with China.
Australia
Australia is the fourth member of the Five Eyes, making it an integral part of the 14 Eyes. Similarly to its neighbor and close ally New Zealand, Australia's citizens have raised issues about the country's membership in the Five Eyes and 14 Eyes alliances. Unlike New Zealand, however, Australia shows no signs of backing out of these alliances.
Canada
Canada is the fifth and final member of the Five Eyes sub-group within the 14 Eyes alliance. Canada's intelligence agencies are known for having extremely close ties with the intelligence agencies of both the United States and the United Kingdom. Judges in Canada have condemned the country's intelligence agencies for having the intelligence agencies of other Five Eyes members spy on Canadian citizens.
Other 14 Eyes Countries
Denmark, France, the Netherlands, and Norway are all part of the 14 Eyes, and a sub-group called the Nine Eyes, which is not as widely recognized as the four eyes. Additionally, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden are the five remainig countries than comprise the 14 Eyes. It is rumored that Germany wants to join the Five Eyes.
- The 14 Eyes was previously known as the Nine Eyes, and before that the Five Eyes. The name has changed as membership expanded.
Country | 14 Eyes | 9 Eyes | 5 Eyes | Surveillance Agency | Surveillance Law Policy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Australia Signal Directorate (ASD) | The Telecommunications Interception and Access Act allows intelligence agencies to intercept and access stored communications with a proper warrant. | |||
| Canada | Communications Security Establishment (CSE) | The Anti-Terrorism Act establishes the CSE’s mandate, which includes acquiring and using information from the global information infrastructure for intelligence and surveillance activities. | |||
| New Zealand | Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) | The Intelligence and Security Act 2017 empowers surveillance agencies to collect and analyze data in keeping with government priorities. | |||
| United Kingdom | Government Communications Headquarters (GHQC) | The Investigatory Powers Act allows for the bulk collection of internet records and requires internet service providers (ISPs) to keep user logs of websites. | |||
| United States | National Security Agency (NSA) | The PATRIOT Act allows agencies to collect a vast amount of data, including call records and emails. | |||
| Denmark | Danish Defence Intelligence Service (FE/DDIS) | Denmark has ratified the European Union’s Directive on Data Retention. Resultantly, telephone providers and ISPs have to log user data, including their IP address. | |||
| France | Directorate General for Internal Security (DGSE) | The French Intelligence Act 2015 allows intelligence agencies to lay telephone or internet wiretaps, exploit computer networks, and access metadata. | |||
| Netherlands | General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) | The Intelligence and Security Services Act 2017 allows agencies to intercept communications, hack third parties, and decrypt files. | |||
| Norway | Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS) | The Norwegian Intelligence Service Act 2020 empowers the NIS to collect information with third parties for the purpose of bilateral/multilateral collaboration. | |||
| Belgium | State Security Service (VSSE) | Belgium’s Data Retention Act required ISPs and TSPs to retain user activity logs. However, the Act was struck down by Parliament. | |||
| Germany | Federal Intelligence Service (BND) | The German Federal Constitutional Protection Act allows intelligence agencies to infiltrate foreign service providers to access relevant information. It also allows the decryption of encrypted messages. | |||
| Italy | Italian Intelligence and Security Services (AISE) | Italy’s Anti-terrorism law includes provisions enabling intelligence agencies to lay wiretaps and share data for national security purposes. | |||
| Spain | National Intelligence Centre (CNI) | The Data Retention Law allows national intelligence agencies to access user logs retained by TSPs and ISPs. | |||
| Sweden | Swedish Military Intelligence and Security Service (MUST) | Sweden’s Data Collection Act grants the Swedish Security Service the power to obtain logs from TSPs and ISPs and decrypt electronic communication. |
Which countries are in the 14 Eyes agreement?
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States are part of the 14 Eyes Agreement.
How many countries are part of the 14 Eyes agreement?
There are 14 countries that are part of the 14 Eyes Agreement.