EU says won't suspend data sharing accords with U.S.

By Robin Emmott and John O'Donnell BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union backed down on Wednesday from threats to suspend agreements granting the United States access to European data, rejecting calls for a tougher stance over alleged U.S. spying. The move marks an abrupt about-turn for the European Commission, the EU executive, after warnings it issued in July to U.S. officials following revelations that Washington had spied on European citizens and EU institutions. Cecilia Malmstrom, the EU's commissioner for home affairs, said she had found no proof of U.S. wrongdoing, either in the sharing of flight passenger records or in the tracking of international payments. "The Commission does not suspend an agreement with an international partner on the basis of two articles in the newspaper," she told a news conference.