Merkel vows to push for tougher EU laws to protect personal data

Different systems across EU makes it harder to control who has access to web users' personal data

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to push for more stringent laws in the EU to protect personal information on the web.

Merkel was speaking in a TV interview with German broadcaster ARD, stating that Germany wanted internet companies "to tell us in Europe who they are giving data to".

Her comments come after former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden accused the US and UK spy agencies of snooping on phone calls and internet usage.

Snowden's leaked documents have also shown how technology giants including Apple, Facebook and Google may have helped the US government to access their systems via a "backdoor" or direct connection to their systems - a suggestion that the top tech firms vehemently deny.

The BBC claims that the chancellor is under pressure to disclose how much the German government knew of the NSA's Prism programme.

After reports in which the US is claimed to have eavesdropped on EU and German officials, Merkel said that she expected the US to abide by German law.

"I expect a clear commitment from the US government that in future they will stick to German law," she said.

Merkel said that the German government would take a "very strict position" in ongoing talks for EU-wide data rules. She said that currently, the different systems in place across the EU make it harder to determine and control who has access to internet users' personal data.

"We have a great data protection law. But if Facebook is registered in Ireland, then Irish law is valid, and therefore we need unified European rules," she said.