On 4 July 2013, the European Parliament instructed the civil liberties, justice and home affairs committee to conduct an inquiry into the alleged mass surveillance of citizens by the US National Security Agency (NSA) and various EU countries, and the impact on citizens' fundamental rights.
Over 15 inquiry meetings were held with witnesses from various member states, the US, Brazil and Russia, and a delegation visited Washington in October 2013. MEPs heard from EU institutions, national parliaments, whistle-blowers, journalists, academics, lawyers, civil society respresentatives, security and technology specialists and private businesses. The extensive report gathers all the evidence and concludes with a set of recommendations, including setting out clear protections for individuals online, seven actions for protecting privacy and a roadmap for the future.