EU-Digest: Proposed EU-US Airline Security Agreement: EU Commission Franco Frattini gives away the store to the US - by Rick Morren

EU-Digest editorial on proposed EU-US security agreement

Proposed EU-US Airline Security Agreement: EU Commission Franco Frattini gives away the store to the US - by Rick Morren

The EU unveiled new security plans recently whereby millions of air passengers could be tracked across Europe. This new proposal can only be seen as a smoke-screen by the EU Commission to cover-up their capitulation to US demands in providing European Citizen's personal information to the US for their safe-keeping, in compliance with the newly proposed EU-US Airline security agreement. This proposed agreement is in direct violation of European privacy laws.

When, and if the proposed agreement between the US and the EU passes legislation, personal data of EU Citizens can be kept by the US for 15 years. During the last eight years of that 15-year period, the information will only be available for access with the permission of a designated senior U.S. Homeland Security Department official. Not a very happy thought for Europeans, given the poor professional reputation of the US Homeland Security and certainly no guarantee that their personal data will not be used for purposes other than acts of terrorism.

Already under the present interim security accord, the US is allowed to hold personal data of European Citizens information between 3-1/2 and 11-1/2 years.

We can only hope that EU governments who have to ratify this agreement will veto it. Since this issue deals with personal information of European Citizens, it probably should even be voted on by a referendum.

In the meantime - there are far more simple ways to catch criminals and potential terrorists traveling to and from Europe. Passenger manifests can be reviewed before departure and matched with local police and security records. There is absolutely no need to forward these records, including bank and credit card information to the US. This is against the law in Europe and must not be accepted in any way or form. Mr. Franco Frattini has not served the interests of the European population by approving this EU-US security agreement.