An influential group of MEPs have called for stricter data protection laws.

It came during another European Parliament hearing regarding the Edward Snowden snooping leaks.

German conservative MEP Axel Voss said: “The issue of data protection should these days almost always be on the agenda, because it is important, because we are already lagging behind the technological development and we therefore need to find answers. And the sooner the Council engage in this issue the better it is for all of us. “

The documents leaked by Snowden sparked fury amongst European politicians, who say EU citizens have a right to be ‘forgotten’ by major cyber firms.

“That’s why we wanted to improve the strength of individual rights, that everyone gets better information rights, rights to delete access and correction rights,” said Voss.

MEPs say the EU’s data protection laws are long overdue an overhaul. They date from 1995.