"EU Panel Weighs Privacy Action Vs. U.S."

Thursday, March 18, 2004

DEAL THREATENS PRIVACY 
United Kingdom - Sky News


A European Parliament committee has threatened to challenge a deal
allowing US authorities to collect personal data on airline passengers.

The members said they would take the issue to the courts, claiming it
undermined the privacy of European Union citizens.

The assembly's committee on justice and home affairs approved 25 to 9 a
resolution condemning the deal reached between the United States and the
EU's head office last December.

The EU's executive Commission "has to come forward with a better
proposal", said Dutch Liberal Democrat Johanna Boogerd-Quaak, who wrote
the resolution.

She said the agreement with the United States was "not on the level" to
provide European citizens enough protection.

While the parliament cannot block the deal, it can use its legal power
to ask the European Court of Justice to rule whether the agreement
violates EU privacy rules.

If the EU's highest court finds it does violate rules, it would nullify
the pact.

The deal aims to resolve a dispute that has been simmering since
Washington tightened airline security in the wake of the September 11
attacks.

The US Government has demanded all airlines provide passenger data
within 15 minutes of departure and threatened fines of up to £3,300 a
passenger and the loss of landing rights for non-compliance.

But the US legislation caused protests in the EU as the information
requested, which includes credit card data and meal preferences, and its
distribution could run afoul of European privacy laws.


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