France wants to delay the start of negotiations on a huge free trade deal between Europe and the United States while it waits for the U.S. government to explain allegations of spying.
A government spokesperson said France was looking to delay the talks by roughly two weeks after a German newspaper reported that the U.S. government conducted surveillance on European states and institutions.
But the European Commission, which will lead the negotiations for the EU, said the talks would go ahead as planned despite concerns about potential snooping.
"Whilst the beginning of EU-U.S. trade negotiation should not be affected, the EU side will make it clear that for such a comprehensive and ambitious negotiation to succeed, there needs to be confidence, transparency and clarity among the negotiating partners," it said in a statement.
A spokesperson for the German government echoed this sentiment.
Negotiations are due to begin Monday on a transatlantic trade and investment pact that has the potential to add about $420 billion a year to the global economy.
German news magazine Der Spiegel reported Sunday that classified leaks from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden detailed how the NSA bugged EU offices in Washington and New York, as well as conducted an "electronic eavesdropping operation" that tapped into an EU building in Brussels.
President Obama said Tuesday he needed more information on the specific programs cited in the report but made clear such spying was commonplace.
"I guarantee you that in European capitals, there are people who are interested in, if not what I had for breakfast, at least what my talking points might be should I end up meeting with their leaders," Obama said. "That is how intelligence services operate."
The European Commission will sweep its offices for electronic listening devices and other security breaches, a spokeswoman said Monday.
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