Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-03-12-Speech-3-176"
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"en.20030312.5.3-176"2
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"Mr President, this is an unfortunate situation, of that there can be no doubt. Sensitive personal data on citizens of the European Union can be transferred to the authorities in the United States, with no guarantees whatsoever, and our citizens are clearly concerned about this. At the same time, the United States have taken a threatening stand. They are threatening to take measures against our airlines if they fail to do as they are told, which is hardly what one expects from friends and allies. This is just the latest in a series of incidents over recent years, especially lately, incidents which often have what might well be seen as comic-tragic overtones. For example, as we have seen in the case of Iraq, numerous European countries are now at the point where they have more in common with powers such as China and Russia than with the United States, with which we basically share the same values. Consequently, at some point, both sides will have to sit down, we and the Americans, and talk seriously and on an equal footing about where this relationship is going and what we can do to save it before it implodes completely.
Now, on this particular issue, criticism is being levied at the Commission which I endorse in large part, although I must say that, in my personal opinion, I do not believe that there was any intention on the part of the Commission to support the Americans. Its intention was to take certain steps in order to deal with a difficult situation it was facing. In all events, what I want to see is this problem resolved as quickly as possible in a way that is, first, legally correct and, secondly, legally secure with respect to the rights of the citizens of the European Union.
I think that this approach, Mr President, is far preferable to the immediate suspension of the interim agreement between the Commission and the American authorities that several political groups have called for in their proposed amendment. If we automatically suspend the agreement with immediate effect, I think that we will be doing ourselves more harm than good, to tell you the truth, not to mention European airlines, which will be denied landing rights in the United States. So let us find a legally secure solution as quickly as possible, let the Commission act along these lines, even at this late stage, perhaps by correcting any mistakes made, and let us leave it at that."@en1
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