The EU and the US need to find ways to restore their mutual trust so as to enable them to build a joint economic area under the Transatlantic Partnership agreement (TTIP), said Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee chair Elmar Brok (EPP, DE), opening Tuesday’s debate with the US Senate’s European Affairs Sub-Committee chair Chris Murphy and […]
Washington – Reding’s Christmas Dinner With The In-Laws… and about that puppy that got run over on the driveway.
The NSA was there, on almost every item of the agenda. Much like Christmas dinner with the in-laws, it would be impolite to get too upset about that time Uncle Sam reversed over the new puppy in the driveway. And so, cousin NSA sat in the corner as the grown-ups talked about how bad the […]
She’s On The Money – Sophie in’t Veld Welcomes SWIFT Probe, Condemns Double Standards
“Just last week, the Belgian and Dutch data protection authorities announced an inquiry into alleged unauthorised access to the SWIFT servers; I wholeheartedly welcome this,” said Dutch MEP, Sophie in’t Veld (D66, ALDE). “The main server is located in the Netherlands, and SWIFT headquarters are based in Belgium,” said in’t Veld, adding: “The Dutch authorities […]
TTIP Negotiations. Round Two. Seconds Out.
Negotiators meet for the second round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership talks. The EU and U.S. EU negotiators met in Brussels yesterday for the first day in a second round of talks to foster progress in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The beginning of the week will be devoted to discussions on investment […]
Claude Moraes, Facing Facts. Surveillance Delegation In Washington
“We will have the opportunity to discuss directly with US counterparts the alleged surveillance activities of US authorities and any impact they have in terms of EU citizens fundamental right to privacy,” said Claude Moraes, head of a European Parliament civil liberties committee delegation to Washington. The delegation is in Washington from 28 to 30 October […]
Suspend EU-US Bank Data Transfer Say MEPs, Response To NSA Snooping
The EU should suspend its Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP) agreement with the US in response to the US National Security Agency’s alleged tapping of EU citizens’ bank data held by the Belgian company SWIFT, says a non-binding resolution voted by Parliament on Wednesday. The resolution, tabled by the S&D, ALDE and Greens/EFA groups, was […]
U.S.-Ukraine Rule of Law Working Group Meets in Kyiv
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Thomas O. Melia, will lead an interagency delegation to Kyiv, Ukraine for the sixth meeting of the U.S.-Ukraine Political Dialogue/Rule of Law Working Group, October 21-25. The delegation will include Paige Alexander, Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and Catherine Newcombe, Regional Director […]