Brussels, 30/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 30 November, the home affairs ministers of the European Union signed a temporary transatlantic draft agreement allowing the United States to continue to use banking information held by the company Swift as part of their Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP). The agreement will apply temporarily and retroactively from 1 February 2010 until it enters into force and will cease to produce its effects on 31 December 2010. The signing of this agreement was made possible by the fact that Germany, Austria and Hungary withdrew their reservations, but these three countries nonetheless abstained from the vote. "It is not an entirely convincing agreement, although it is better than no agreement at all, particularly from the point of view of data protection", said German Home Affairs Minister Thomas de Maizière. "We have some major problems" with this agreement, explained Austrian Home Affairs Minister Maria Fekter upon her arrival at the meeting. However, she added: "if we block it, there will be no legal protection" for the European citizens. With this new text, the scope of banking information to which the American authorities will have access will be reduced to respond to certain European concerns. "This agreement improves data protection. The system will be more efficient and more proportionate", said Swedish Immigration Minister Tobias Billström. European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs Jacques Barrot explained that as of February, the Commission would be seeking a new negotiation mandate for a "long-term agreement" to be negotiated with the European Parliament. The latter institution was calling for the adoption of a global agreement after the entry into force, provided for this Tuesday, of the Lisbon Treaty (EUROPE 10028). The Council nonetheless expressed its intention of adopting a text under the rules of the Treaty of Nice so as not to be obliged to re-negotiate a new mandate under Lisbon. In any event, the European Parliament will have the opportunity to veto a definitive conclusion of the temporary agreement, which would have the result of rendering it null and void. (B.C./transl.fl)