EU registreert passagiersgegevens voor vluchten binnen Europa (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Air carriers operating in the EU will be obliged to transmit passenger data to border authorities in advance in a bid to improve the fight against illegal immigration and terrorism.

Under plans agreed by EU justice and interior ministers yesterday (30 March), financial penalties would also be imposed on carriers that "fail to meet their obligations".

The directive opens up the possibility that information transmitted by air carriers would include biometric features - such as fingerprints or iris scans.

EU Member States will also be able to use the gathered information to prevent terrorist activities.

"I don't think the people of Europe would forgive us if information which could have prevented an atrocity was sitting in files or computer records and could simply not be consulted by people who needed to have access to it to save lives in tens and hundreds", Irish justice minister Michael McDowell said after the EU ministers meeting.

The EU's move follows US demands for tighter security after the 11 September attacks in 2001.

However, some MEPs feel that the agreement reached with the US, does not provide sufficient guarantees on the protection of the data. The issue will be voted on today in the European Parliament.