As part of the war on terror, American intelligence services have been monitoring European bank transactions since 2001. When the EU found out about it in 2006, they were outraged. But now it looks like the bloc will agree to a controversial deal that will allow the covert data transfer to continue.
Far away in Strasbourg, where the European Parliament is currently sitting and where representatives are indignant about how various member administrations are ignoring democratic principles, a resigned Alvaro [FDP MEP] had only this conclusion to make on behalf of the Europeans. "If we always bow to the US," he noted, "we will never be able to negotiate with them as equals."
"If we always bow to the US," he noted, "we will never be able to negotiate with them as equals."
The upside in this sorry affair is that the extension is for 12 months (only agreed to after pressure from the European Parliament) and that the EP will have to vote on a more definite arrangement, next year.
