Translate the following English sentence to French:
"Knowing as we do from the Echelon interception system that every form of democratic control is being flagrantly violated from without or from a distance, knowing that American multinationals are engaged in wholesale monitoring and spying at the expense of European undertakings and the economic, social, political and cultural activities of the Member States and the private life of the Union citizens as a whole, it is slightly hypocritical of us to approach this huge issue in stockinged feet with our prayer-book in hand."
Alors que le système de surveillance électronique Echelon permet, à distance, la violation intolérable de tout contrôle démocratique, permet aux multinationales américaines une surveillance et un espionnage à grande échelle au détriment des entreprises européennes, de l' ensemble des activités économiques, sociales, politiques et culturelles des États membres et de la vie privée des citoyens de l' Union, il est pour le moins hypocrite d' aborder cette immense question en douceur, en se berçant de paroles rassurantes.