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   XPost: uk.politics.misc, alt.conspiracy, soc.culture.jewish   
   XPost: alt.politics.immigration   
   From: dirk.bruere@gmail.com   
      
   JT wrote:   
   > NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States and the European Union are near   
   > a deal on letting law enforcement and security agencies obtain private   
   > information like credit card transactions and travel histories about   
   > people on the other side of the Atlantic, The New York Times reported   
   > on Saturday.   
   > (Advertisement)   
   >   
   >   
   > The newspaper, which obtained an internal report on the potential   
   > agreement, said it would amount to a diplomatic breakthrough for U.S.   
   > counterterrorism officials after a history of clashing with the EU   
   > over demands for personal data.   
   >   
   > It was unclear when the agreement could be completed, the Times said,   
   > citing officials, but the Bush administration wants to resolve the   
   > issues before leaving office in January and is hoping for an agreement   
   > that would not require congressional approval.   
   >   
   > Negotiators, meeting since February 2007, have mostly worked out draft   
   > language for 12 major issues at the heart of a "binding international   
   > agreement," according to the report. Among other things, the pact   
   > would make clear that European governments and companies could   
   > lawfully exchange personal information with the United States.   
   >   
   > A major unresolved issue is whether residents of EU countries would be   
   > able to sue the U.S. government over its handling of their personal   
   > data, the Times said. U.S. law does not allow foreigners to sue the   
   > U.S. government for damages in such instances, the Times said.   
   >   
   > The talks resulted from conflicts between the United States and Europe   
   > over information-sharing after the September 11 attacks. The Bush   
   > administration had demanded access to passenger data held by airlines   
   > flying out of Europe and by a consortium, known as Swift, which tracks   
   > global bank transfers. Several EU countries objected, citing privacy   
   > laws.   
   >   
   > U.S. and EU officials hope to avoid future confrontations "by finding   
   > common ground on privacy and by agreeing not to impose conflicting   
   > obligations on private companies," the Times quoted Stewart Baker,   
   > assistant secretary for policy at the Homeland Security Department, as   
   > saying.   
   >   
   > "Globalization means that more and more companies are going to get   
   > caught between U.S. and European law," said Baker, who is involved in   
   > the talks.   
   >   
   > Some European officials expressed concern at the prospective   
   > agreement's ramifications.   
   >   
   > "I am very worried that once this will be adopted, it will serve as a   
   > pretext to freely share our personal data with anyone, so I want it to   
   > be very clear about exactly what it means and how it will work," said   
   > Sophia in't Veld, a Dutch member of the European Parliament and   
   > privacy rights advocate.   
   >   
   > Negotiators are trying to work out minimum privacy rights standards,   
   > such as limiting access to information to "authorized individuals with   
   > an identified purpose" for seeing it, the Times said.   
   >   
   > http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080628/tpl-uk-security-usa-eu-81f3b62.html   
   >   
   > www.iamthewitness.com   
      
   ____________   
      
   I assume  that EU govts also get all the details of US citizens in exchange?   
      
   --   
   Dirk   
      
   http://www.transcendence.me.uk/ - Transcendence UK   
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