Post by Nun on Oct 24, 2013 3:37:50 GMT 4
Lawmakers in the Brussels parliament voted by 280 to 254 in favor of the resolution on Wednesday October 23, 2013 to suspend US access to the global database because of concerns that the powers were being abused. There were 30 abstentions.
The vote followed leaks by former US intelligence operative Edward Snowden, which suggested that the US National Security Agency (NSA) used the Belgium-based system of international bank transfers, SWIFT, to snoop on the EU.
The resolution is non-binding, but the parliament stressed it would "take account of the European Commission's response to this demand when considering whether to give its consent to future international agreements."
The vote followed leaks by former US intelligence operative Edward Snowden, which suggested that the US National Security Agency (NSA) used the Belgium-based system of international bank transfers, SWIFT, to snoop on the EU.
The resolution is non-binding, but the parliament stressed it would "take account of the European Commission's response to this demand when considering whether to give its consent to future international agreements."