The EU parliament has approved a contentious data sharing deal with the US. Washington hopes that data of passengers flying in from the EU will help in the war on terror. Critics warn it’s a violation of privacy.
..The US hopes to use the data in its fight against terrorism and international crime.
The data, which is to be gathered by air carriers during flight reservations and check-in, is to include a passenger’s name, address, phone number and credit card details, But it will also include information that some may consider to be more sensitive, such as meal choices based on religious grounds or requests a passenger makes for assistance due to a medical condition.
Under the PNR deal, the data will be stored for up to five years though after six months, the passenger’s name is to be masked out. After five years, the information will be moved to a “dormant database” for up to 10 years, where access to it by US authorities will be far stricter.
assistance due to a medical condition?
Washington had threatened massive sanctions should the EU fail to agree to the deal. MEP Alexander Alvaro warned that Brussels in fact had been blackmailed into giving the green light. “The US have said that should we not agree, they would strip airline carriers of the permission to land on US airports. And this threat has been enough to make the EU agree despite the flaws in the deal.”
They so should have called their bluff on this
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