US government may continue legally collecting emails of EU citizens: In 't Veld poses questions to European Commission - Main contents

On 7 June, the White House and US intelligence officials recommended the Senate Judiciary Committee to permanently reauthorise a foreign communications surveillance law (1). This law, which was set to expire on 31 December, unless Congress votes to renew it, allows  the US government collection of digital communications of foreign citizens outside of the US from internet service and other communications providers. This possible permanent reauthorisation would mean that the US government could continue collecting emails of EU citizens from internet service providers.

Against this background,

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  Does the Commission consider the application of this law to be compatible with EU law, including case law?
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  How does the Commission assess the consequences of this surveillance law for data of EU citizens, in particular regarding the provisions of the Privacy Shield and Umbrella Agreement?
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  Which steps will the Commission take to ensure that EU law fully applies to the data of citizens within the EU, notably their digital communications that the US government may collect?

• (1) 

  Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)