EU scared of US spying into commission systems? Issues burner phones to officials over security fears
World: This reflects the heightened tensions, mistrust and strained relations, and a shift in how Brussels views Washington under the current US administration.
The European Commission has issued burner phones and stripped-down laptops to senior officials travelling to the US, over spying risk.
This level of precaution was previously reserved for trips to China and Ukraine, according to the UK-based Financial Times.
This reflects the heightened tensions, mistrust and strained relations, and a shift in how Brussels views Washington under the current US administration.
These spy-proof gears will be issued to commissioners and high-ranking officials who will be traveling to the US next week for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank spring meetings.
The EU delegation, who will be attending the next week's meetings, includes Valdis Dombrovskis (Economy), Maria Luís Albuquerque (Financial Services), and Jozef Síkela (Development Assistance).
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They are expected to represent the EU in high-level talks, even as security and trust concerns cast a long shadow over diplomatic exchanges.
One of the officials said, "They are worried about the US getting into the commission systems."
The US-bound staff should switch off their phones at the border and put them in special sleeves to protect them from surveillance if left unattended, according to people familiar with the situation.
Such kinds of measures are traditionally reserved for countries like China and Ukraine, where standard IT kits can't be brought into the countries given the risk of espionage, according to officials.
However, the European Commission refused to comment on the issue. It said that the commission's diplomatic service had been routinely involved in such security updates.
This comes amid the EU and the US have been tied in a trade war since President Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office. Trump claimed that the EU was set up to "screw the US" and set 20 per cent reciprocal tariffs on its exports, however, he later announced a 90-day pause on the tariffs.
(With inputs from agencies)
