German media reported earlier that the NSA ordered German Intelligence Service (BND) to conduct surveillance of corporations and ministries across Europe in accordance with a list of search criteria, including phone numbers, email domains and social network accounts.
The German government has refused to make the list of search criteria available for review. The G10 Commission is planning to file a lawsuit against the country's administration in compliance with a law protecting the secrecy of telecommunications, Suddeutsche Zeitung reported Tuesday.
According to the media outlet, a special representative on behalf of the German government is expected to determine the scale of BND's involvement in NSA espionage operations against European governments. Results of the audit will be presented to relevant authorities.
Disclosure of the NSA search criteria list without US consent is considered to be a violation of "relevant international treaty law" and puts Germany's reputation as a reliable partner at risk, the newspaper reported.
In April, the German government denied that NSA economic espionage occurred in other countries.
