DATA
Under scrutiny
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Since 9/11, European airlines and banks share information on their customers with US. Some say that the US is using this data in an economic war against Europe.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
« So we’ve learned that our powerful ally and friend is searching through our bank accounts. When will it become our blood tests, birth certificates, and the rest? Enough ! This parliament really needs to put a stop to this kind of thing”
A rant by the member of the European parliament Jean-Marie Cavada. He was laying into American security practices a bit too inquisitive for his liking. Since the 9/11 attacks on New York, the US has been carrying out thorough checks – searching the files of banks… And airline companies.
When you buy a plane ticket to the US, you hand over a lot of personal information. What’s known as a ‘PNR’ file is created – with an itinerary of relevant flights, the passenger’s contacts in the US and bank card details, onboard requirements such as dietary needs, and information on the passenger’s state of health.
In other words, many of the traveler’s private details. The European parliament has already fought an agreement made between the US and the EU Commission in 2004.
In May 2006, the European Court of Justice ruled the parliament’s criticism was correct, so the Commission re-negotiated with the Americans. The result: a new agreement signed in 2007… giving even more ground.
“Unfortunately, this is a bad agreement because the aim was to protect European citizens’ private data. But in reality, the deal gives the US free reign over our private data” says Sophie Int’Velt, member of European Parliament.
From now on, the US will be able to keep data for 15 years instead of 3, and they can also pass on information to intelligence services – both in the US and abroad.
For the G29, A European collective of national authorities supposed to protect citizens’ information, this agreement is dangerous: “We think there could have been a balance struck between legitimate security interests and the need to protect individuals’ rights… which ISN’T the case at the moment”.
Alex Turk, president of the French committee for information technology and freedom thinks there’s a risk of data passing into the wrong hands. “There’s a legitimate need to fight terrorism – nobody’s criticising the US for trying to stop terrorism. The problem comes when you get people deliberately circulating information – when other details are looked into. That raises the issue of ‘economic spying’.”
The war of words surrounding data protection is ramping up.
One particular issue is worrying the Europeans, security of bank data. Swift, a firm based in Brussels oversees company money transfers. Swift has handed over all its information to the CIA. Since admitting that, the company says it always took measures to protect the confidentiality of the transactions. “Americans have a saying: trust is good – control is even better”, comments Sophie Int’Velt.
This type of control could be transformed into a powerful economic weapon.
Sensitive files are handed over to American customs who then in turn give them to 16 intelligence services, including the CIA, NSA and FBI. Agencies linked to the US Department of Commerce… specifically, to the Advocacy Centre, which brings together manufacturers and the intelligence community. Their aim - to help American businesses win publicly tendered contracts worth billions of dollars.
So, are the Americans profiting from the fight against terrorism to spy on European companies?
In economic terms that would be called ‘distorting competition’. To information specialists, it would be termed ‘economic warfare’.
A rant by the member of the European parliament Jean-Marie Cavada. He was laying into American security practices a bit too inquisitive for his liking. Since the 9/11 attacks on New York, the US has been carrying out thorough checks – searching the files of banks… And airline companies.
When you buy a plane ticket to the US, you hand over a lot of personal information. What’s known as a ‘PNR’ file is created – with an itinerary of relevant flights, the passenger’s contacts in the US and bank card details, onboard requirements such as dietary needs, and information on the passenger’s state of health.
In other words, many of the traveler’s private details. The European parliament has already fought an agreement made between the US and the EU Commission in 2004.
In May 2006, the European Court of Justice ruled the parliament’s criticism was correct, so the Commission re-negotiated with the Americans. The result: a new agreement signed in 2007… giving even more ground.
“Unfortunately, this is a bad agreement because the aim was to protect European citizens’ private data. But in reality, the deal gives the US free reign over our private data” says Sophie Int’Velt, member of European Parliament.
From now on, the US will be able to keep data for 15 years instead of 3, and they can also pass on information to intelligence services – both in the US and abroad.
For the G29, A European collective of national authorities supposed to protect citizens’ information, this agreement is dangerous: “We think there could have been a balance struck between legitimate security interests and the need to protect individuals’ rights… which ISN’T the case at the moment”.
Alex Turk, president of the French committee for information technology and freedom thinks there’s a risk of data passing into the wrong hands. “There’s a legitimate need to fight terrorism – nobody’s criticising the US for trying to stop terrorism. The problem comes when you get people deliberately circulating information – when other details are looked into. That raises the issue of ‘economic spying’.”
The war of words surrounding data protection is ramping up.
One particular issue is worrying the Europeans, security of bank data. Swift, a firm based in Brussels oversees company money transfers. Swift has handed over all its information to the CIA. Since admitting that, the company says it always took measures to protect the confidentiality of the transactions. “Americans have a saying: trust is good – control is even better”, comments Sophie Int’Velt.
This type of control could be transformed into a powerful economic weapon.
Sensitive files are handed over to American customs who then in turn give them to 16 intelligence services, including the CIA, NSA and FBI. Agencies linked to the US Department of Commerce… specifically, to the Advocacy Centre, which brings together manufacturers and the intelligence community. Their aim - to help American businesses win publicly tendered contracts worth billions of dollars.
So, are the Americans profiting from the fight against terrorism to spy on European companies?
In economic terms that would be called ‘distorting competition’. To information specialists, it would be termed ‘economic warfare’.
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