EU demands protection against U.S. data surveillance

The European Commission called for new protection for Europeans under United States law against misuse of personal data, in an attempt to keep in check the US surveillance.

EU justice commissioner Viviane Reding said she wanted Washington to follow through on its promise to give all EU citizens the right to sue in the United States if their data is misused. "I have ... made clear that Europe expects to see the necessary legislative change in the US sooner rather than later, and in any case before summer 2014," she said. Reding's message was reinforced in a draft report obtained by Reuters that called for "very close attention by the EU" in monitoring data-exchange agreements given the "large-scale collection and processing of personal information under US surveillance programs." In the report, they highlighted the need for improving transparency in the 'Safe Harbour' scheme that allows companies in Europe who gather personal information about customers, for example, to send it to the United States.