US-EU spying claims 'disturbing' - Barroso

Reports of US spying on the European Union would be "very disturbing" if proved true, the President of the European Commission has said.

Jose Manuel Barroso told the European Parliament that EU officials had contacted the US to ask for clarification over the matter.

The allegations that US security services bugged EU missions and the embassies of friendly European countries - including the French, Italian and Greek embassies - were published at the weekend by Der Spiegel in Germany and The Guardian in Britain.