EU should protect banking data

With the EU's support the US is to gain extensive access to European banking data. The liberal Financial Times Deutschland criticises what it sees as the Europeans' capitulation to the US authorities' security mania. "After the 9/11 attacks this end [security] justified practically all means. ... Now this is no longer the case. The security authorities have still not produced plausible evidence that such a sweeping encroachment on data protection is in proportion to this end. … The most frightening thing about it, however, is that the US could also pass on the information it thus obtains to other states. If nothing else then at least this should make those who are aware of the dubious governments with which Washington cooperates in the fight against terrorism sit up and take notice. … That the Swedes and even the Commission itself are uneasy about this blank check for transparent bank accounts is evident in the way they want to smuggle the agreement past the EU Parliament. This is a show of contempt not only for the MEPs, but also for all European citizens."

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