Brussels, 10/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 8 July, a transatlantic working group on data protection and the implications of the US surveillance programmes was set up to provide reassurance to the Europeans. On Wednesday10 July, Jan Philipp Albrecht MEP (Greens/EFA), who is charged with the reform of EU data protection rules, expressed his wish, during a debate, that the civil liberties committee vote on this matter as soon as possible and possibly as early as this October.
MEPs agreed on the need to move swiftly to a vote on this reform, which includes a general regulation and directive on the transfer of data as part of police and legal cooperation. More than 4000 amendments have been brought to the regulation and more than 800 to the directive. The negotiations currently being carried out aim to speed up the committee's work and bring the sometimes almost diametrically opposed respective points of view, closer together. Several committees which have to submit opinions have been accused of being too close to corporate interests, to the disadvantage of providing an appropriate level of protection for citizens. Sarah Ludford (ALDE, United Kingdom) summed up this contradiction, pointing out that it was imperative that high data protection standards be maintained and application of legislation ensured. Many MEPs also highlighted the need to reintroduce the so-called anti-FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) clause in this reform, which would enable the EU to protect itself when targeted in spying operations. (SP/transl.fl)