ECHELON REPORT PRESSES U.S. TO PROTECT EUROPEANS’ PRIVACY
European Parliament (EP) panel probing existence of global satellite spy system called “ECHELON” last week strengthened its demand that U.S. respond to questions about its role in gathering and using commercial data. Temporary Committee on ECHELON Interception System has been investigating structure and impact of system, which is said to be able to intercept Internet, fax and telephone transmissions. Earlier this month, group faulted U.S. for refusing to explain how it used business information, gathered through ECHELON, that’s not connected to illegal activities. Last week, committee representatives approved resolution pointedly stating that while U.S. denied gathering extensive competitive intelligence for purposes beyond fighting corruption, “the role of the Advocacy Centre of the U.S. Trade Department is still not totally clear, and talks arranged with the Centre with a view to clarifying the matter were cancelled.” Action puts U.S. more clearly in position where it must answer committee’s questions, sources close to panel said.
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Resolution, now headed to EP plenary session Sept. 5 for action, also calls on U.S. to: (1) Negotiate and sign agreement with European Union (EU) requiring both to “observe, vis-a-vis the other, the provisions governing the protection of the privacy of citizens and the confidentiality of business communications applicable to its own citizens and firms.” (2) Sign international covenant on civil and political rights so complaints by individuals could be submitted to Human Rights Committee created by covenant. (3) Negotiate with member states code of conduct akin to that of EU. (4) Begin EU-U.S. dialog on economic intelligence gathering. Panel also recommended Germany and U.K. condition further authorization of U.S. communications interception operations in their territories on U.S. compliance with European Convention on Human Rights.
Although finding beyond doubt that ECHELON existed, EP committee said satellite system’s use was limited. However, it said, most sensitive commercial data now were kept inside individual companies, so intelligence-gathering was dependant on “plants” within firms or on hacking into computer networks. Only way European businesses can protect themselves, committee said, is by “safeguarding their entire working network and protecting all communications channels” used to send sensitive data. Therefore, it said, EU privacy protections should be brought in line with modern communications and interception methods.
Resolution received 27 ayes, 5 nays and 2 abstentions, source close to committee said. Some opponents criticized any mention of development of common European security and defense policy, while others opposed secret services activities in general. Italian Communists and others considered resolution weak on privacy and human rights. One minority opinion came from Maurizio Turco, pres. of Radical Members of EP of Lista Bonino. While panel “brought to the fore the probable existence of an Anglo-Saxon” interception system, he said, it neglected to mention that some European countries were using similar technologies to snoop on their own citizens. Therefore, he said, there should be parliamentary control of interception and surveillance activities, regulatory bodies such as Europol not subject to democratic and judicial scrutiny should be shuttered and protection of privacy of European citizens should be given top priority.