Unease over information deal with US
Transatlantic airlines such as Aer Lingus will be forced, from early next month, to provide US authorities with the names, addresses, phone numbers, itineraries and credit card details of all passengers flying to the United States.
EU Transport Commissioner Ms Loyola de Palacio confirmed the EU agreed to give US authorities personal information of US-bound passengers as part of the fight against terrorism.
However, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties expressed concern about data confidentiality in the deal reached with US customs officials.
Civil liberties’ group spokesman Liam Herrick warned: “The core concern is the potential abuse of people’s privacy.
“The information, which is supposed to assist anti-terrorism agencies, could also be used by the US authorities on issues such as immigration.”
Mr Herrick, a research and parliamentary officer with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, said the strong data protection legislation in Europe does not exist in the United States.
“There are serious concerns that personal information could be shared by the US Customs with other agencies,” he said.
“This deal points to the EU giving in to American pressure and jeopardising the rights of private citizens in Europe.”
The EU commission, however, insisted the deal satisfied its data protection arrangements while meeting with new US anti-terrorism legislation implemented in the wake of the September 11 disaster.
The deal is a transitional arrangement before a permanent legal framework is agreed to by EU members.
The agreement requires air carriers to submit passenger data within 15 minutes of a plane’s departure for the US which can be checked by an American database.
Ms de Palacio’s spokesperson said the US had given assurances about the appropriate handling of the records.
The new deal, to take effect from March 5, requires all European and US-based airlines to provide the information for all US-bound flights from EU countries.
Aer Lingus said last night the company was waiting for full details on the agreement.
Ms de Palacio said that unless a deal was agreed the United States would have insisted upon visa arrangements which would have restricted Europeans movement to the US.
Her spokesperson said it struck the right balance between security needs and guaranteeing the privacy of citizens.
The commissioner’s spokesman said the EU was fully behind America in its fight against terrorism.
The agreement brought an end to lengthy negotiations between the US and EU, since the United Stated introduced tough anti-terrorism legislation in November 2001.
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