NSA spying scandal - free trade agreement

On the eve of the vote on Parliament's resolution on the NSA spying scandal, Greens/EFA Co-Presidents Dany Cohn-Bendit and Rebecca Harms called for a clear signal against opening negotiations with the USA on a free trade agreement:

"The EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht should not start negotiations with the US on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The negotiations must be put on hold until the NSA affair has been fully and openly discussed.

"To this end, the Greens in the European Parliament have tabled an amendment to the NSA resolution which will be voted upon tomorrow. This amendment calls for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the USA to be put on hold. Only a clear signal from Strasbourg can put pressure on the lead negotiators. It's the responsibility of every MEP to send this message now.

"We refuse to accept that consumer and data protection could be sacrificed for the sake of the TTIP."