The UK has reportedly blocked talks between Europe and the USA on intelligence and espionage after the recent revelations of the National Security Agency’s (NSA) surveillance programmes.
The Guardian reported that the negotiations, scheduled to start in Washington on Monday, will now be restricted to issues of data privacy and the NSA’s Prism programme following a 24 hours of negotiations in Brussels between national EU ambassadors.
The veto, planned by the UK and supported by Sweden, includes launching two working groups to review the espionage scandal.
According to the Guardian, the talks will consist of one working group focused on the NSA’s Prism programme, which has been gathering vast amounts of internet and mobile phone metadata in Europe.
Last week, the European Parliament said it will conduct an in-depth inquiry into the US surveillance programmes, including the bugging of EU premises and other spying allegations.
Members of the European Parliament asked the US authorities to provide them with full information on the allegations without further delay.
The European Commission has warned that European firms would probably quit services offered by the US Internet providers following the NSA surveillance scandal.
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