Strasbourg, 12/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) is highly critical of the agreement reached on 28 June this year between European and American negotiators on the transfer of Passenger Name Records (PNRs) (EUROPE 9457 and 9458). In Strasbourg on Thursday, MEPs approved a joint resolution (PES, ALDE, Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL) which brings this agreement into question as they feel that it does not give European citizens “sufficient protection” of their personal data. The agreement was sealed without democratic control from the EP but also from national parliaments that have a very small margin of manoeuvre, the MEPs deplore. Despite some concessions - such as extension of the US Privacy Act to European nationals - MEPs regret that the agreement is “substantively flawed” when it comes to legal security, mainly because it comprises open and vague definitions and many possibilities for exemption. Discretionary use of data: The collection, use and storage of PNR data by the US Homeland Security Department are based only on “non-binding assurances” that the US Department may unilaterally change. For this reason alone, Greek Socialist MEP Stavros Lambrinidis felt “it is not even an 'agreement' in the proper sense of the term”. Uncertain use of data: Data may be used by the US authorities to counter terrorism but can also be used “for other unspecified additional purposes”. The fact that sensitive information (political views, sexual leaning, etc) are made available to the US Homeland Security Department raises concern among MEPs. The EP notes, moreover, that the reduction in the number of data fields from 34 to 19 is “largely cosmetic due to the merging of data fields instead of actual deletion”. MEPs deplore the fact that the retention period of data has been increased from 3.5 years to 15, with retroactive effect. The EP is “resolutely opposed” to third countries having access to PNR data in accordance with the conditions set by the US authorities. Finally, MEPs call on the Commission to clarify Commissioner Franco Frattini's statements regarding the possible creation of an EU PNR system to be used in Europe. The EPP-ED did not support this resolution. One of its representatives, Manfred Weber of Germany, described the agreement as a “good tool” against terrorism but pointed a finger of blame at the “irresponsible” people who supported the resolution. The author of the resolution, Sophie In't Veld (ALDE, NL) had strongly criticised the assurances made by the Commission at the beginning of the week (EUROPE 9465). (bc)