Le Conseil rejette le souhait du Parlement sur les données bancaires

On the company's website, SWIFT described the agreement as significant for the financial industry. 

"We understand the agreement would apply to all providers of international financial payment messaging services and would govern the terms upon which financial payment messaging data will be made available by EU based authorities to US authorities for anti-terrorism purposes," the press release said. 

"SWIFT is not involved in the EU-US discussions but is closely monitoring the next steps in the EU decision process. Implementation of this agreement must ensure the protections which exist today for citizens' data are maintained. The legal framework must be sound and leave no room for ambiguity to ensure private companies have legal clarity to operate," it concluded. 

US Under-Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey said that "the United States welcomes the European Council's approval of an Interim Agreement between the European Union and the United States to support the continuation of the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program while a long-term agreement is negotiated next year. We thank the Swedish Presidency of the European Union and the European Commission for their leadership and dedication in concluding this Interim Agreement". 

He went on to note that "during the past eight years, the TFTP has provided invaluable leads in many major terrorism investigations, contributing greatly to our ability to thwart deadly terrorist attacks around the world. With scrupulously designed and multilayered controls and safeguards that are subject to numerous, complementary forms of independent oversight, the TFTP also embodies the highest standards of data privacy protection". 

"Indeed, the European Commission, on behalf of the European Union, recently conducted an in-depth review of the TFTP and concluded that these controls and safeguards are significant and effective and ensure respect for the protection of personal data," he said. 

"The European Council's decision is a welcome step, and it offers temporary protections to our citizens. It is critical, however, that we begin work at the earliest opportunity to conclude a long-term agreement. Counterterrorism cooperation between the United States and our European partners is strong, and we are confident that we will be able to work collaboratively to reach such an agreement, incorporating the robust safeguards just agreed upon," he concluded. 

German Lberal MEP Alexander Alvaro had argued in advance of yesterday's meeting that "the democratically-elected Parliament must be fully involved in the negotiations. We did not concertedly fight for so many years for a new era of cooperation in European domestic policies just to be hoodwinked in the final stages". 

Yesterday he described the agreement as an "act of ignorance," arguing that "it was incomprehensible" for EU ministers to approve it knowing the level of reservation among MEPs. 

German Green MEP Jan-Philipp Albrecht described the agreement as "a black day for citizens' rights and democracy in Europe. The EU has caved into pressure from US security services and agreed to downgrade fundamental rights and data protection standards for its own people". 

He argued that "it is a disgrace that EU interior ministers have rushed through this decision on the very last day before the EU Parliament gains co-legislative rights on this issue. The agreement disregards calls by Parliament and data protection rights organisations to respect basic international standards. The US has been given a carte blanche to ignore EU legal provisions on data protection". 

He concluded that "last-minute attempts to placate the Parliament with promises for the future are worthless. Today's contractual decision sets a precedent that the US can count on, despite any protests. A return to clearly defined rights is simply not possible on the basis of this agreement. I am considering making a complaint to the European Court of Justice, since national governments are clearly not acting in the interests of their own people".