Brussels, 04/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Union will continue negotiations with the USA with an enlarged mandate, in view of concluding an agreement with the USA on the transfer of airline passenger data. Diplomatic sources indicated to EUROPE that “ambassadors have given a green light for the presidency and the European Commission to continue negotiations with the USA on the basis of an enlarged mandate”. This decision was taken on Wednesday during a Coreper meeting of EU ambassadors. The day before, representatives from the EU rejected new demands from the US on transfer of airline passenger data (“Passenger Name Record PNR) who travel to the US (EUROPE 9277). On the other hand, they did agree to prepare counter-proposals, which ministers of the interior will discuss on Thursday during the Luxembourg Council. These European proposals will be submitted to US negotiators on Thursday during a video-conference and if they are accepted, ministers will be able to ratify Friday's agreement. At the end of a telephone conversation on Tuesday evening between the Commissioner for Security Franco Frattini and the US Secretary of State for Internal Security Michael Chertoff, the EU received assurances from the US that the use of PNR would continue to be applied as in the past, until a new agreement was concluded. On Wednesday the spokesperson for Commissioner Frattini, Mr Roscam-Abbing stated, “The United States is willing for the time being to indeed apply the safeguards for the passenger name records data laid down in the agreement of 2004”. If this proves to be the case, there will, however, still be a major obstacle to concluding an agreement, namely, that of the possibility of organisations, like the FBI, of having direct access to data on passengers wishing to go to the United States. (bc)