Transatlantic passenger data deal a capitulation to US demands
David Lundy | 12.10.2006 08:03 | Migration | Repression | Workers' Movements | London | World
Speaking today at the European Parliament in Brussels, German GUE/NGL MEP Sylvia Yvonne Kaufmann attacked the recent EU-US passenger data accord and called for greater protection for passengers' privacy.
"Last week's EU-US agreement on passenger data (PNR) is no cause for celebration by any means. While now at least we have an agreement, the European Union has completely capitulated to US demands on this issue" Kaufmann contended, stressing, above all, that European passenger data can now be passed on to the US Department of Homeland Security and from there to all US agencies involved in the so-called 'war on terror' - the CIA, FBI etc…
"The fact that the CIA, an agency whose torturing and kidnapping activities this house is investigating in a special committee, will have access to passenger data is the real scandal, especially when one considers that the right of redress held by US citizens is not extended to EU citizens."
As a safeguard against the processing of incorrect data or the abuse of data, US citizens have the right to check and legally challenge the content of US data records; this right does not exist for non-US citizens.
Kaufmann continued, stating her serious concern "that under this agreement, data will be used for purposes that go beyond the requirements of counter-terrorism and organised crime"
Warning that Europeans were becoming subject to ever more supervision, Italian GUE/NGL MEP Giusto Catania said that the EU-US agreement on passenger data represented "an underhand attempt to restrict the freedom of European citizens and an unacceptable violation of individual privacy."
"Too much information - 34 different types of personal data - is handed over to US authorities and intelligence agencies in the name of the fight against international terrorism. This agreement is worse than the previous one that was annulled by the European Court of Justice. The Council must heed the warnings of the European Parliament on this issue" Catania cautioned.
PNR data is a variable set of data treated by each airline for managing the transport contract with each passenger. It includes up to 34 items of data on passengers and crew and may include car and hotel reservation plans, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, residential and business addresses, choice of meal, credit card information, etc.
GUE/NGL Press
Gianfranco Battistini +32 475 64 66 28
David Lundy +32 485 50 58 12
www.guengl.eu
"The fact that the CIA, an agency whose torturing and kidnapping activities this house is investigating in a special committee, will have access to passenger data is the real scandal, especially when one considers that the right of redress held by US citizens is not extended to EU citizens."
As a safeguard against the processing of incorrect data or the abuse of data, US citizens have the right to check and legally challenge the content of US data records; this right does not exist for non-US citizens.
Kaufmann continued, stating her serious concern "that under this agreement, data will be used for purposes that go beyond the requirements of counter-terrorism and organised crime"
Warning that Europeans were becoming subject to ever more supervision, Italian GUE/NGL MEP Giusto Catania said that the EU-US agreement on passenger data represented "an underhand attempt to restrict the freedom of European citizens and an unacceptable violation of individual privacy."
"Too much information - 34 different types of personal data - is handed over to US authorities and intelligence agencies in the name of the fight against international terrorism. This agreement is worse than the previous one that was annulled by the European Court of Justice. The Council must heed the warnings of the European Parliament on this issue" Catania cautioned.
PNR data is a variable set of data treated by each airline for managing the transport contract with each passenger. It includes up to 34 items of data on passengers and crew and may include car and hotel reservation plans, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, residential and business addresses, choice of meal, credit card information, etc.
GUE/NGL Press
Gianfranco Battistini +32 475 64 66 28
David Lundy +32 485 50 58 12
www.guengl.eu
David Lundy