Bank data transfers

According to news reports, the US administration is planning to expand its anti-terrorism programme, which includes monitoring and storing details of financial transactions. Green MEPs are concerned that the move would allow more far-reaching data transfers and be in conflict with the 'SWIFT agreement', concluded with the EU. Commenting on the reports, German Green MEPJan Philipp Albrecht said:

"Reports that the US administration is seeking to expand its anti-terrorism programme to the collection of new areas of personal data are deeply concerning. The EU has only just grudgingly accepted an agreement on the transfer of SWIFT bank transfers with the US under which US officials can only request European data relevant to a terrorist investigation. That the US is looking to go far beyond this and access all transfer data between the US and Europe, regardless of any justification, is simply not acceptable. The Commission has a duty to defend European data protection laws and the privacy of EU citizens: it must not allow the US administration to once again extend its tentacles deeper into the domain of protected European personal data."