EU could scrap surveillance deal with US

EU could scrap surveillance deal with US

The EU might suspend an agreement to exchange banking information in order to combat terrorism, Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom implied before the European Parliament. Malmstrom said she has formally requested details on US surveillance, adding that work on a review on an intelligence deal struck between the EU and the US has been halted.
"Either way a decision to maintain the Agreement or to consider proposing its suspension is a serious matter," she said.
Malmstrom made the comments before the European Parliament's Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee in the wake of revelations by Germany's Spiegel magazine that the Terrorist Finance Tracking Programme (TFTP) agreement was being flouted by the US which was spying on SWIFT bank and credit card transactions.
Several MEPs are seeking to end the agreement that grants US authorities access to bank data for terrorism-related investigations because of Washington's surveillance programs.
"I will be seeking exhaustive explanations and comprehensive information in order to measure to which extent the implementation of the Agreement might have been impacted," Malmstrom told MEPs.
She added that in reply to her communications the US authorities have provided some written explanations that raise further questions.
"I am not satisfied with what we have received so far. Whilst from the U.S. reactions last week we now have some understanding of the situation, we need more detailed information in order to credibly assess reality and to be in a position to judge whether the obligations of US side under the TFTP Agreement have been breached," Malstrom said.
The TFTP was set up by the US Treasury Department shortly after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. According to the Home Affairs DG website, since then, the TFTP has generated significant intelligence that has been beneficial for both the US and EU States in the fight against terrorism.
An EU-US Agreement on the exchange of financial information was signed to ensure protection of EU citizens' privacy whilst this data was being collected.
The Spiegel revelations were based on information leaked by former US National Security Agency employee Edward Snowden.