Brussels, 19/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - Gilles Gantelet, Commission spokesperson for Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio, indicated on Wednesday that the EU and the USA had reached an agreement on a temporary agreement (a draft decision covering the agreement legally which will be proposed by the Commission in the next few months) on access to European airline passengers and requested since 5 March by the USA (see EUROPE yesterday p 17). This agreement is expected to be finalised at Coreper on Friday and ratified by the two sides during the meeting at the end of February. It will allow for assess to basic details (name, profession, etc.) and will only involve trans-Atlantic flights, with the data being protected by US legislation. US airlines going to the EU from the USA will also be subject to the same restrictions. Passengers will be informed of the fact that the information provided to the airlines could be sent to a third country. Australia and Canada have asked the EU to put in place a similar system.