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EU Parliament Likely to Approve Interim U.S. Data Sharing, But Have Heavy Hand in Permanent Agreement
By Colby Adams
printAn interim agreement allowing U.S. investigators continued access to European financial data in terrorism cases will likely be ratified in February by a skeptical EU Parliament, according to EU officials. The agreement, passed by the EU Council on Nov. 30, includes new data protection provisions and extends a June 2007 informal arrangement outlining when U.S. investigators can view European interbank transaction data stored by the Society for World Interbank Financial Telecommunication (Swift), a Brussels-based banking consortium. The EU Council approved the nine-month plan a day before a treaty granting inclusion in the negotiating process to the EU Parliament went into...
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