ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book deals with the impact of key developments in international relations and relevant transnational legal developments and with how the changes influence the intelligence services and their oversight. It reviews existing legal, and 'best practices', standards for oversight, as well as the challenges that exist with respect to making intelligence oversight legitimate, efficient and effective in the future. The book investigates trends within the intelligence, surveillance and oversight landscape with respect to specific countries. It seeks to identify common trends and developments and assesses how developments in International Relations relate to, and play together with, the development of intelligence oversight. The fight against international terrorism has provided the rationale for a dramatic increase in multilateral and bilateral intelligence cooperation by the intelligence and security services.
