The US Department of Justice and the European Union have agreed to speed up stalled data protection negotiations to reach a deal to protect the privacy of foreign nationals following recent surveillance disclosures.

A joint statement issued by attorney general Eric Holder and European Commission vice-president Vivienne Reding released after bilateral talks in Washington on Monday said they hoped to reach ”a meaningful and comprehensive” agreement by the spring.

Commission officials said the deal is expected to cover issues such as bulk collection of data by law enforcement agencies – which would be limited to specific purposes – as well as reduce data retention limits, and give EU citizens a right of judicial redress in the US if they suspect their personal data is being misused.

Separate talks took place at between White House officials and EU commissioner Cecilia Malmström on the subject of US surveillance aimed at specific individuals by intelligence agencies.

No details regarding either set of talks were made available by the US administration, and any change in US law would require separate approval by Congress, but European negotiators insisted there had been a hopeful change of attitude in Washington since their previous discussions in the summer.

Officials said the revelations by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden that the US had even tapped the mobile phone of German chancellor Angela Merkel had transformed the negotiating stance of American officials.

“This goodwill has to be followed by concrete action, but for the first time there is different language and an acknowledgement that there are problems,” Reding told the Guardian.

“Eric Holder and his team are prepared to work to accelerate and intensify the completion of a data protection umbrella agreement,” she added.

“He has promised to be creative to find solutions quickly. This is important for me as this umbrella agreement will introduce basic common standards for data protection and law enforcement co-operation between our two continents.”

The joint statement issued on behalf of Holder and Reding was less specific, but acknowledged that the “alleged activities of US intelligence agencies” had “led to regrettable tensions in the transatlantic relationship, which we seek to lessen”.

“We are, therefore, as a matter of urgency, committed to advancing rapidly in the negotiations on a meaningful and comprehensive data protection umbrella agreement in the field of law enforcement,” said the statement.

“The agreement would act as a basis to facilitate transfers of data in the context of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters by ensuring a high level of personal data protection for US and EU citizens. We are committed to working to resolve the remaining issues raised by both sides, including judicial redress (a critical issue for the EU). Our aim is to complete the negotiations on the agreement ahead of summer 2014.”