EU Committee Issues Report On NSA Surveillance; Snowden To Testify

Qedward writes with word that the EU Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee published the draft of their report on the impact of dragnet surveillance by the NSA on EU citizens (PDF). Quoting CIO: "... Members of the European Parliament say that it is 'very doubtful that data collection of such magnitude is only guided by the fight against terrorism,' and that there may be other motives such as political and economic espionage. The document urges EU countries to take legal action against the breach of their sovereignty perpetrated through such mass surveillance programs." The same committee voted today to allow Edward Snowden to testify before them in a special hearing.

Comments

EU to grow balls, News at 11

[zlives]

nope false alert, not gonna happen.

Re:Where?

[Grantbridge]

RTFA: The former US National Security Agency worker would testify by interactive video link from Russia, where he has been granted temporary asylum.

Perhaps

[pablo_max]

Perhaps the EU members will think that.
However, there is a major difference between say, Germany and America. The difference is, the German public will freak out and actually take to the streets.
I am reasonably sure that Germany would exit the EU if such a program was installed.
Same is true for France. They say that France is one of the few countries who does democracy right. The government is scared shitless of the people. Not the other way around like in the US where people fear their government. Hell, in France they will burn an entire city over a small issue.
Of course in England, they are even more willing to give up their rights than Americans.

Re:Perhaps

[pablo_max]

I am reasonably sure that Germany would exit the EU if such a program was installed.

I did not say that the German government did not WANT to spy. Sure they do. All governments want to spy, be they western or not.
The point is, the population would freak out if it actually came out that the government was spying on every German and what they did.

Look, I will be the first to admit it. Germans are about the stingiest people I ever met. I have only lived here for about 5 years, but that much is clear. "Hey, why don't you have a clothes dryer?". response: "Why should I pay 200€ for what the sun does for free!" Classic German thinking. Save save save save. That is a good thing though.
Now, I know 3 different people who have canceled their family trips to the US over this matter. These are already paid for trip with no chance to get the money back.
The fact is, they are afraid of the US government. They are afraid that the TSA will confiscate their notebooks because the agent would like to have a new one. Or copy all their private information.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/apr/18/tsa-to-download-your-itunes/

so says

[pablo_max]

So says the man from America. The country who's population literally could not care less that their own government is spying on them as well AND systematically removing their rights and dismantling their constitution.
But you go on and talk about how stupid and cowardly we in the EU are. After all, we can see how strong your back bone is. After all, it is not we who have the backbones to bomb brown people "into freedom".

Re:Where?

[dkleinsc]

the plane that they grounded that time was headed to somewhere in Latin America (Cuba or Ecuador I think).

That would be Bolivia. Which, since it was Bolivian President Evo Morales's plane, is about as serious a diplomatic violation as you can get (imagine Russia or China grounding Air Force One and searching it).