EU Votes In Favor of Suspending U.S. Data Sharing Agreements

The controversy surrounding news of the NSA’s wide-ranging spying tactics is causing ripples in other aspects of U.S. – European Union relations. Based on information released by Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor, the EU voted to support its own commission in the event the commission decides end data sharing agreements between the EU and the U.S. The commission is investigating both the reach of the NSA’s spying tactics as well as reports that the U.K. has been involved in a similar spying program.

The vote could prove to be an important one because of the data that is being shared between the EU and U.S. at the moment. In particular, flight passenger information is being shared via a passenger name record (PNR) agreement, and banking information for suspected terrorists is being shared via SWIFT.