Reding: US reform plans also affect EU citizens

Commenting on her conversation with the US attorney general, Reding said: "The US attorney general has confirmed that there are reforms to be undertaken. What is new in these reforms is that they are not just about American citizens, but also about how European citizens should be treated. And that is absolutely new."

As one of the main discussion points, Reding mentioned a possible data protection agreement between the US and Europe: "We are negotiating a framework agreement to protect the data of European and American citizens when there is judicial and police cooperation between the two continents. We discovered that European citizens, when they are in America, could only be protected if US laws were amended. It appears changes to these laws are now under consideration."

Assessing the current state of transatlantic relations, Reding said: "In Germany too, a large majority of the citizens no longer trust the Americans. We have to counteract this with concrete actions. And what the Americans said today suggests they are willing to work to restore confidence."