UK and Sweden Veto "Espionage Talks" between EU and USA

Britain has blocked the first crucial talks on intelligence and espionage between European officials and their American counterparts since the NSA surveillance scandal erupted. The talks, due to begin in Washington on Monday, will now be restricted to issues of data privacy and the NSA's Prism programme following a tense 24 hours of negotiations in Brussels between national EU ambassadors. Britain, supported only by Sweden, vetoed plans to launch two "working groups" on the espionage debacle with the Americans. Instead, the talks will consist of one working group focused on the NSA's Prism programme, which has been capturing and storing vast amounts of internet and mobile phone metadata in Europe. The disclosures in the Guardian over the past month have triggered a transatlantic crisis of confidence and threatened to derail crucial free trade talks between the EU and the US, also due to be launched in Washington on Monday. The talks on Prism and data privacy have been arranged to coincide with the trade talks in an attempt to defuse the transatlantic tension. EU diplomats and officials say the offer of talks by the Americans is designed to enable the leaders of Germany and France to save face following revelations about the scale of US espionage – particularly in Germany, but also of French and other European embassies and missions in the US.

Full Article: The Guardian

So there will still be discussion about PRISM, however the UK and Sweden have put a stop to broader talks about spying/security measures in general, giving the reason that the EU has "no authority" to instigate such talks.

Right or wrong? Personally, I would think that right now, the EU has every right to discuss such things with the USA. It seems like the "plan" is to keep things as neutral as possible, but is it just a case of trying to stop the boat from being rocked any further?

this isn't aimed at you personally but ive always hated how people put UK rather than UK Government. i know it saves space and words but it still drives me mad. i wanna know the truth and demand to know the truth as do most of the people that i know

reply to post by chebob


It is a violation of European Human Rights. Of course Europe has the right to ask questions. EU law has been broken by our cousins over the water. National security issues should not be put in front of our human rights or else we will loose both.

s/f