Brussels, 02/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 1 December, French Home Affairs Minster Michèle Alliot-Marie repeated her desire for a system for collecting data on air passengers, a PNR (Passenger Name Record) system, to help prevent terrorist attacks in Europe. “A European PNR would help us tackle terrorism, and also the most serious types of crime, more effectively,” she told the European Parliament civil liberties committee. On 20 November, the committee adopted a resolution expressing its opposition to such a project, given the data protection risks it would pose. “I understand that there may be some concern,” the minister acknowledged. “I, too, share this concern,” she said, adding that she had sought the opinions of the Fundamental Rights Agency and the European Data Protection Controller. The European Commission brought forward a draft framework decision in November 2007, under which all air carriers operating in the EU would have to send passenger data (names, addresses, passport numbers, telephone numbers, food preferences, etc) to the authorities to prevent and tackle terrorist actions and organised crime. “This would allow intervention before it is too late,” Alliot-Marie said, stating that the project meant that data could be used on passengers who, for example, had made frequent trips to high risk areas, such as Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iraq. She also said that the system would allow, in some instances, people's names to be cleared, by confirming an alibi.
Despite these reassurances, British MEP Sarah Ludford (ALDE) questioned confidence in such a system, noting that there were “other ways” of tackling terrorism. To combat terrorism, we have to remove the factors from which terrorism springs, such as the wealth gap between North and South or the Israel-Palestine conflict, the minister replied. Given this, she said: “I think we will still be in the same situation in 20 years' time”. “I'm sorry, but we can't just stand around with our arms folded.” “The PNR is one point among several, but a particularly important one. It is not about targeting everyone, but taking certain factors into account,” she stressed.
At their meeting on Thursday 27 November, European home affairs ministers gave their backing to continuing the “European PNR” project on the basis of the report prepared by the French Presidency (see EUROPE 9792). The report sets out strict conditions on the use that can be made of the data, with a seven-year time limit on retaining the data and recommendations on sanctions to prevent and curb infringement of the rules. “There is still room for improvement. We have to examine each point carefully to see the ones that are essential and those that aren't with regard to civil liberties and to limit the data we need to what is strictly necessary,” Alliot-Marie acknowledged. Noting the minister's comments, Martine Roure (PES, France) welcomed the open discussion between the Council and Parliament. She also expressed her satisfaction with the current proposal which, she felt, was “different from the PNR signed with the United States”. She asked the minister about her willingness to further consult the European Parliament on the “European PNR” project. “The Parliament will be kept informed and will possibly be able to discuss it,” Alliot-Marie replied. According to one diplomat, “there will be further consultation if the proposal develops on a different legal basis”. Any possible active involvement of the Parliament, through the co-decision procedure, will depend on what happens to the Lisbon Treaty. Until such time as the treaty comes into effect, agreements will continue to be adopted through the unanimous decision of member states, with the Parliament only being asked for its opinion. (B.C./transl.rt)