Luxembourg, 26/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - Home affairs ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday drew up the broad lines for the future European Passenger Name Record (PNR) system, which is to allow member states to collect and share data regarding air passengers on flights to and from third countries, as part of the fight against terrorism and serious crime. Presented in February 2011 by Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, the draft directive aims to give the EU a programme that is similar to those sealed with the United States, Canada and Australia, whereby European airlines may transfer data on European passengers going to these three countries. Data gathered in 19 categories include information such as dates of birth, address and banking details and must be analysed by police units created specifically for that purpose.
According to the general guidelines adopted by ministers on Thursday, data may be retained up to five years, compared to the 15 years stipulated in the agreement with the United States. In February 2011, the European Commission had proposed to make data anonymous or depersonalised after 30 days but, according to the compromise adopted on Thursday, data will only be depersonalised after two years and kept another three years, sources say, with the member states as a whole considering this period of 30 days too short. Discussions also continued on the scope of the directive. Some member states wanted it to be an obligation for intra-European flights to be included in the system, while others wanted this to be possible only on a voluntary basis. According to the compromise reached on Thursday, the choice of including and designating intra-European flights will be left up to member states. Now that the general guidelines are adopted, discussion with the European Parliament may commence. (SP/transl.jl)