Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-01-31-Speech-3-132"
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"en.20070131.20.3-132"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, data protection has high status in the EU. It was therefore a shock for us to learn from the media – and from the American media at that – that, despite the data protection requirements documented in all the EU Member States, SWIFT was prepared to give in to pressure from the United States and to forward data concerning European citizens to Washington. This happened without the knowledge, never mind the agreement, of the European Parliament, the national parliaments or the individuals concerned.
To date, we have not been able to examine the memorandum of understanding between SWIFT and the United States that forms the basis for transferring the data. We can only hope that the data has in actual fact been used only for the purposes of combating terrorism and not, for example, for economic espionage. We do not to date have any confirmation of this. We all support, and appreciate the need for, determination in fighting terrorism. However, individuals’ fundamental rights must be safeguarded. Emphatically, the fight against terrorism must not be conducted to the detriment of basic civil rights and the right to data protection.
That is a particular concern of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe too, and that is why we requested a hearing on this issue. It did not surprise us that the Americans, who were also invited, stayed away from the hearing without saying why.
We welcome the prompt and thorough investigation by the Belgians, who have come to the clear view that a violation of rights or, as Commissioner Frattini put it, a criminal offence has taken place. Incidentally, the people responsible at SWIFT either knew, or at least suspected and feared, this from the beginning, and they have indirectly informed us that they did so.
The failure of corporate governance at SWIFT is still incomprehensible to me. The supervisory bodies were informed, but did nothing to enlighten people as to what was happening or to tell the governments about it. With the best will in the world, that is no way to treat politically mature citizens. People’s confidence in the EU as a legal community has been badly damaged. The SWIFT case is leading to an increase in Euroscepticism in the population, and it will be difficult to win back the confidence that has been lost.
I would ask the Council and the Commission to conclude the careful inquiry, of which Mr Gloser has spoken, as quickly as possible and to present practical proposals as to how the rights of European citizens might be enforced in respect of the United States too. You should show people that you are not kow-towing to the United States but take the European Union seriously as a community of values and courageously defend it in relation to major partners too, and precisely because they are friends rather than enemies."@en1
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