“ The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) passed a resolution on Tuesday criticizing the use of mass surveillance by national governments and calling on both member and observer states to increase oversight on intelligence communities.” “ 'In several countries, a massive 'surveillance industrial complex' has evolved, which risks escaping democratic control and accountability and threatens the free and open character of our societies,' declares the resolution, which was originally prepared by Pieter Omtzigt (Netherlands, Group of the European People's Party) for the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights.” “ The resolution comes in response to revelations after U.S. whistle-blower Edward Snowden disclosed classified files in 2013 which showed the use of extensive surveillance techniques being used at the time by the U.S. National Security Association (NSA) and its international partners in the global intelligence