Snowden and the EU

The European Parliament’s decision to listen to Edward Snowden, the National Security Agency ex-analyst, is yet another turn of the screw in the recurrent discord between Washington and Brussels over espionage. The U.S. practice of data interception has always tarnished bilateral relations. However, the Snowden case has elevated tensions and the European Parliament has again become the most active community organization in this regard.

To offer the microphone to one of the current American administration’s most sought after fugitives is seemingly not the best gesture of friendship by the European Union. The situation has angered U.S. Congressman Mike Rogers who accuses Snowden of putting lives in danger. But, it seems this politician has forgotten that data revealed by the ex-analyst has shown that Washington was spying on European leaders — including Chancellor Angela Merkel — as part of an extensive practice that ignored the close ties of cooperation and friendship connecting Washington with Europe. Seemingly, these ties were not close enough for the Obama administration to present proper excuses for the abuses committed by its intelligence services.

It is possible that technical difficulties — Snowden does not want to do a live video conference that could allow his location to be identified — together with pressure from the European People’s Party, which holds the majority in the European Parliament, will impede the hearing agreed to this week by the Commission on Freedom. However, it is clear that this case has fed Europe’s lack of confidence toward its American “friend.” Although complaints have been primarily lukewarm, the scandal casts a shadow on EU-U.S. commercial trade negotiations, which have been characterized as the largest in the world. The European Parliament has veto power over the sought-after agreement.

Obama has promised to revise his espionage system. Internal pressure from opinion leaders and technology companies is apparent and there is a strong internal line of thinking that supports the revisions, the details of which are to be revealed next Friday. After 43 years, leaked FBI documents have come to light and are becoming part of the social movement to defend individual liberties against powerful government in Washington.