24/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - Unlike his colleagues of the ALDE Group, British Conservative Timothy Kirkhope does not at all agree with Advocate General Philippe Léger, who suggests that the European Court of Justice should scrap the agreement between the EU and the United States on the transfer of personal data concerning European air passengers to US authorities, given the lack of an appropriate legal base (EUROPE 9073). This would undermine public security and the international fight against terrorism, and the United States could “ban flights originating in non-cooperating countries from US airspace”, the MEP warns in a press release. Sylvia Yvonne Kaufmann (GUE/NGL, Germany) on the other hand fully approves the advocate general's stance and says she hopes the Court will follow suit (the ruling is expected early spring 2006).