The Agency an international espionage organization among Western Powers, an intelligence version of NATO. The organization parallels NATO and the agents are recruited from NATO country military, civilian and intelligence agencies.  The Agency is based in Europe, in the city of Brussels.  Here is a list of countries that contribute agents and resources to the Agency:

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, West Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

All Agents of the Agency are under non-official cover.  Agent affiliations are not declared to the authorities, and therefore agents cannot "flash a badge" or otherwise ask for assistance.  Every agent is given a cover job, usually something that is easy to get away for indeterminate periods from time to time.  Agents report to an operator who contacts them in a variety of ways with missions.  It is generally understood that the work is deniable, the Agency will not openly support any agent who makes a public scene, or otherwise jeopardize their covert status; and will disavow any knowledge of an operation that fails spectacularly.  Failure in a mission will subject agents to various consequences; in the West that is usually arrest or detainment, if not killed while being apprehended.  The severity depends on the nature of the fall-out, and the Agency will provide legal assistance for anything that was done in the line of duty, after any media or counter-intelligence attention has subsided.

Behind the Iron Curtain, there is no help of course.

Here is an excerpt on carrying weapons across Europe in the time period.

Western Bloc Nations:  Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom,  and West Germany.

Eastern Bloc Nations:  Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, the USSR and Yugoslavia.

The importation of firearms is strictly controlled in all countries, both East and West.  No service handguns or automatic weapons may be imported into any country.  Competition match pistols may be imported if they are accompanied by a proper document stating that the owner intends to use the weapon in a competition in that country.  Hunting and sporting rifles are also allowed.  No prior permission is required to import hunting rifles into Western bloc countries.  Only one hunting or sporting weapon and 50 rounds of ammunition per person may be imported.  Any agent caught carrying any other type of weapon is subject to immediate arrest and imprisonment.  Silenced weapons are legal in France, though they are illegal in all other countries.

If an agent wants to carry a hunting rifle into an Eastern bloc country they must get prior permission from one of that nation's embassies.  The agent must present the papers for the weapon when they arrive at the border.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:38, Wed 13 Oct 2021.