Advertisement
Espionage
WorldUnited States & Canada

Politico | Snowden’s back: spying scandal clouds EU-US ties ahead of Biden visit

  • Media reports allege Danish intelligence helped the US spy on top European politicians
  • Reports thrust Europeans back to 2013, when Edward Snowden revealed massive US surveillance programmes

Reading Time:5 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
16
Edward Snowden’s revelations have led to major arguments over the security and privacy of Europeans. File photo: EPA
POLITICO

This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Laurens Cerulus and Hans von der Burchard on politico.eu on May 31, 2021.

Advertisement
Joe Biden must feel like he’s having flashbacks.
Two weeks before the US president makes his first visit to Europe since being elected, Danish media reported the country’s secret services helped American counterparts to eavesdrop on European leaders.

The report thrust Europeans back to the dark days of 2013, when whistle-blower Edward Snowden revealed massive US surveillance programmes that included tapping the mobile phones of allied heads of state – including that of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

At the time, it was then-President Barack Obama who had to have the awkward conversations with EU leaders about spying on allies. Now it will be up to his former vice-president to reassure the Europeans as he heads to Cornwall, in the UK, on June 11 for a G7 gathering where matters of transatlantic trust, cooperation and digital trade will be high up on the agenda.

Advertisement

The timing of Danish public broadcaster’s report, which was reprinted by multiple European news outlets, could hardly be trickier for Biden.

loading
Advertisement