Foreign Intelligence Service ( Romania ) The Foreign Intelligence Service , or Serviciul de Informații Externe ( SIE ) in Romanian , is , under Law no . 1 / 1998 , " the state body specialized in foreign intelligence concerning the national security and the safeguarding of Romania and its interests " . The SIE carries on its activity in keeping with the Constitution of Romania , the laws of the country , the Decisions of the Country ' s Supreme Defense Council ( CSAT ) , and military regulations . The activity of the service has the character of a state secret . The sources of intelligence , the ways and means its mission is carried out cannot be disclosed to anyone , under whatever circumstances . The disclosure , in any way , of information and intelligence that make the object of activity of the Foreign Intelligence Service is forbidden , and punishable as laid down in the law . The Foreign Intelligence Service is authorized , under the law , to use specific methods , develop and own appropriate means for obtaining , checking , assessing , turning to account , storing and protecting intelligence information relating to national security . It also has the right , in the conditions established under the law , to ask for and obtain from the Romanian public authorities , companies , other legal entities , as well as from individuals , intelligence , information , or documents needed in accomplishing its missions . History . By Decree no . 111 / February 8 , 1990 issued by the Committee of the National Salvation Front , the Foreign Intelligence Centre ( " Centrul de Informații Externe " ( CIE ) ) was confirmed as an institution of the Romania n state , mandated to carry out its activity in the field of foreign intelligence . Law no . 39 / December 13 , 1990 gave an identity to the Foreign Intelligence Service , as this regulatory act stipulates for the first time the name of the SIE , as a CSAT member . The legal framework that regulates the activity of the SIE is based on Law no . 51 / 1991 on national security , Law no . 415 / 2002 on the organization and functioning of the CSAT , Law no . 182 / 2002 on the protection of classified information , and Law no . 1 / January 6 , 1998 on the organization and functioning of the Foreign Intelligence Service , completed by the Emergency Ordinance ( OUG ) no . 154 on November 21 , 2001 . Cooperation with the other intelligence services in Romania . In a united Europe and in a global world , the SIE has developed , since 1991 , a close cooperation with similar institutions in several countries , having beneficial effects on safeguarding the national security . In keeping with national regulations , the Romanian intelligence services frequently carry out joint actions aimed at preventing and countering events that might prejudice Romania ' s national security . The cooperation between the SIE and other structures with responsibilities in the field of national security is achieved through operational intelligence exchanges on matters of common interest , as well as in other aspects or working ways that contribute to ensuring national security . This process is carried out according to certain cooperation protocols negotiated between the parties , which stipulate the obligation of immediately informing each other on aspects regarding national security . Communication with the civil society and the media . The relation of the Foreign Intelligence Service with the civil society and the media is managed by a special structure in its organizational chart . This structure coordinates at the same time , in keeping with its responsibilities , the institutional relations of SIE with the Parliament , the Presidential Administration , the Government and the governmental organizations , as well as with the other structures in the central public administration . In communicating with the civil society and the media , the SIE strikes a necessary balance between the citizen ' s right to be informed in conditions of transparency and the obligation to keep secret the information that , under the law , cannot be disclosed . This inevitably leads to a range of restrictions entailed by the specificity of the work that can otherwise be found in all the intelligence services in the democratic states . Overseeing the activity of the SIE . The activity of the Foreign Intelligence Service is organized and coordinated by the Country ' s Supreme Defence Council ( CSAT ) . The CSAT approves the organisational structure , the staff in peacetime or during mobilization , the functioning regulation , and the tasks of the Foreign Intelligence Service . Every year , or whenever the circumstances make it necessary , the SIE Director submits to the CSAT reports on the way the Service accomplishes its missions . Control upon the activities of the SIE is exercised by the Parliament of Romania , via a special Parliamentary Committee , tasked with observing the confidentiality and the means and sources of intelligence collection . The special committee is made up of three deputies and two senators , elected from among the Committees for Defence , Public Order and National Security of the two Chambers . Parliamentary oversight aims to check whether the activity of the Foreign Intelligence Service is consistent with the Constitution of Romania and the policies of the Romanian state . While exercising the prerogatives incumbent upon it , the Commission demands from the SIE , through its director , papers , information , and intelligence , and may conduct hearings of individuals connected to the issues being analysed . The Foreign Intelligence Service is bound to meet , in due time , the Committee ' s requests and allow the hearing of the respective persons , with prior approval by the SIE Director . Financially , the activities of the Foreign Intelligence Service are audited by the Ministry of Public Finances , which exercises a delegated pre - emptive financial verification , and the Audit Office , through its follow - on control over the execution of the revenue and expenses budgets . The Public Ministry also gives clearances on and authorizes the legality of some activities conducted with a view towards gathering intelligence .