Brussels, 20/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - With MEPs due to vote on the issue in Strasbourg next week, the Parliament rapporteur on the reform of data protection, Jan Philipp Albrecht (Greens/EFA, Germany) has called on his colleagues to support the referral of the agreement signed in June of this year by the EU and Canada on the transfer of air passenger data (PNR) to the Court of Justice of the EU to test the legality of the data collection system under European law.
The EU-Canada PNR agreement requires the approval of the European Parliament and has already brought about a number of tempestuous hearings in the Parliament's civil liberties committee. Some MEPs, mainly Liberals, felt they had to ratify an agreement that might breach fundamental rights in order to address the problem of jihadis.
MEPs have become even more sensitive to the issue since the Court of Justice ruling of April which annulled the data retention directive. According to Albrecht, “there are serious doubts about the legality of the planned EU-Canada PNR agreement. The landmark ruling of the European Court of Justice earlier this year made clear that the general retention of data without grounds is not compatible with EU law. This has clear implications for passenger data exchange and retention systems, which the EU Parliament's legal service is expected to confirm soon”. In these circumstances, it would be “irresponsible to proceed gung-ho with a PNR exchange system that goes in this direction”, he goes on, calling on all the groups to support Court referral.
“There is no proof that the mass collection and storage of air passenger data helps in combating terrorism. The recent attack on the Canadian parliament would not have been prevented by passenger name record exchange for example”, argues Albrecht. At a hearing on Monday 17 November, the EPP Group was clear in its support for the agreement with Canada. (SP)