European Parliament (EP) panel delayed its vote on report setting...
European Parliament (EP) panel delayed its vote on report setting out findings and recommendations on satellite communications spy system known as ECHELON. Vote, scheduled for June 21 in EP Temporary Committee on ECHELON Interception System, was pushed back to…
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July 3 at request of Christian Democrats -- one of political parties represented on committee -- who wanted more time to review several proposed amendments, David Lowe, head of secretariat for committee, told us. What’s driving delay is that Christian Democrats and others aren’t happy with prospect that, despite extensive study, ECHELON issue is likely to fade away without action, said James Andrews, technology policy dir. at Center for Strategic & International Studies. Moreover, he told us, some Europeans remain convinced that U.S. is engaging in commercial espionage. Larger question for Europeans, Andrews said, is whether British -- who are part of association of English-speaking countries (UKUSA) operating ECHELON -- are “in or out” of European community on issue. Europeans are concerned about how to create independent security identity while Brits are part of U.S. system, he said.