国际英语新闻:European lawmakers threaten trade deal veto unless U.S. mass surveillance stops

BRUSSELS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- A European Parliament resolution adopted Wednesday threatened to withhold consent to the European Union (EU)'s final trade deal with the United States unless the U.S. National Security Agency stops blanket mass surveillance in EU institutions and representations.

The resolution, in which Members of the European Parliament set out their findings and recommendations to boost EU citizens' privacy, was backed by 544 votes to 78, with 60 abstentions.

The text also calls on the EU to suspend its bank data deal with the U.S. and the "Safe Harbour agreement" on data privacy.

The fight against terrorism can never justify secret and illegal mass surveillance, the resolution notes.

"The Snowden revelations gave us a chance to react. I hope we will turn those reactions into something positive and lasting into the next mandate of this Parliament, a data protection bill of rights that we can all be proud of," said Civil Liberties inquiry rapporteur Claude Moraes.

The European Parliament should withhold its consent to the final Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal with the United States unless it fully respects EU fundamental rights, stresses the resolution.