Brussels, 14/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - European and US representatives for justice and interior affairs met in Gödöllõ, near Budapest, on 13 and 14 April, for a ministerial meeting dedicated to the fight against cybercrime, drug trafficking, the fight against terrorism, and talks underway concerning the future EU-US agreement on the protection of personal data and PNR agreements. Janet Napolitano and Eric Holder represented the United States, while the EU was represented by Sandor Pinter (home affairs, Hungary), Tibor Navracsics (justice, Hungary), Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding, and Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström.
On this occasion, Viviane Reding announced an agreement with the United States to strengthen their cooperation and close the gap between their work relating to combating drug trafficking in West Africa, especially cocaine, the aim of the agreement being to tackle drug routes from South America and West Africa. On the personal data protection chapter, the meeting was to allow both sides to pursue discussion begun in March this year on the future framework agreement that should establish the general line to be followed by both sides in all agreements on transfer of personal data for counter-terrorism purposes or against organised crime, such as the PNR or Swift/TFTP programmes.
On the “home affairs” dossier, discussions were partly on the fight against cybercrime and the coordination of efforts made by both sides. The EU is currently adopting new rules on this, with a possible agreement in June this year at ministerial level, on review of the current rules dating back to 2005. The EU and the United States have been tackling this subject together since November 2010 with the creation of joint working groups on cybercrime. Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström also exchanged views with her American counterparts in EU-US talks on Passenger Name Records. At this stage, services working under the Swedish commissioner have not stated when these talks will come to an end. (S.P./transl.jl)