The United States has denied ,
using a controversial spy network to steal commercial secrets from European governments and companies.
The State Department issued ,
the guarantee ahead of the European Parliament's debate on Thursday into whether to hold an inquiry into the Echelon surveillance system.

European information commissioner Erkki Liikanen told MEPs
that the department has said its intelligence community was not engaged in industrial espionage.

Greens MEPs led the call for an inquiry following complaints ,
that the US had been using the system for its own commercial gain.

MEPs decided to postpone making a decision about the proposed inquiry until next month ,
when the parliament will meet in Strasbourg.


Code-name Echelon , Cold War system Spies on phones , faxes or e-mails

Main installations in UK and US Linked to US National Security Agency
Mr Liikanen said the United Kingdom ,
which helps Washington operate the system of satellites and listening posts along with Canada , Australia and New Zealand ,
had written with a similar assurance.
If any European companies suspected they had lost business to US rivals due to the spy network ,
none had complained to Brussels , he said :
"No companies have contacted the commission on this issue - no companies."

Another statement from the Council of Ministers said there was no concrete evidence that Echelon existed.

In the debate ,
some MEPs complained that the network was a serious invasion of privacy.

Eavesdropping

A report last month to the European Parliament
last month identified the Echelon system as a tool for industrial espionage.

There were allegations that the US had monitored billions of phone calls ,
faxes and e-mails.

A number of Euro MPs also complained about the UK's participation in Echelon.

The parliament is divided over the legal basis for the proposed inquiry.

Those in favour say that spying could be considered under the heading of data protection or competition ,
while others believe it is not within the competence of the parliament to act on security issues.