E.U. To Collect Traveler Data In June, But Parliament Disapproves

European Union law enforcement agencies in June will begin more closely examining visiting American travelers' travel details, when E.U. interior ministers introduce their own version of the U.S. government's Advance Passenger Information System. It means that airlines will have to transmit data on every traveler entering E.U. countries by the time they close checkin procedures. Details will include each passenger's name, nationality, birth date, passport number and the origin of their journey.

The proposal first was made by the Spanish government last year and seemed to arouse little interest in other E.U. members but has now been pushed through by the United Kingdom on the back of last month's terrorist bombings in Madrid. It also has been toughened. Originally, only immigration authorities were to be allowed access to the data. Now, any E.U. law enforcement agency may give the information scrutiny. Furthermore, although the information originally was to be retained for 24 hours, it now may be retained indefinitely if a law enforcement agency considers it helpful in an investigation.

Ironically, European ministers approved the plan just one day after the European Parliament voted down a compromise arrangement agreed by the European Commission to allow U.S. authorities to access the passenger name records of E.U. citizens entering the United States. Parliament followed up swiftly by rejecting the newly announced European version of APIS as well. It believes both initiatives breach European data protection legislation in numerous ways.

Whether parliament's "no" vote will prevent the U.S.-E.U. pact on passenger name record data remains to be seen. Parliament called for the plan to be withdrawn in favor of a "push" solution that will see only filtered data being released to the U.S. authorities on request, instead of the current arrangement involving the automatic transmission of more than two dozen fields of PNR information. However, Parliament has no power to overturn the agreement directly. If it remains dissatisfied, it can take the matter to the European Court of Justice, which would have the ability to overrule the commission. Such a process could take months or even years, but a spokesman for parliament expected it to take the fight to the bitter end. "There are strong feelings on this subject among many members," he said, "and they are likely to push this as far as they can."