EU en VS bouwen database met gestolen paspoorten (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The EU and the US are discussing plans to set up an international database for stolen passports as part of their joint fight against terrorism.

The proposals were announced after a meeting in Brussels on Monday between the two sides to discuss security issues.

Under the plans, the shared information would be managed by Interpol - the international criminal police organisation.

Speaking after the meeting, which was also attended by EU anti-terror co-ordinator Gijs de Vries, the US under-secretary for security Asa Hutchinson said that stolen passports were a "critical" issue.

"This is a tool that is used by terrorists not just for access to a country but also as a means for making money on the black market".

He added that the EU is taking "a leadership role in working with Interpol ... we're very receptive to that".

Jonathan Faull, the director general in the justice and home affairs department of the European Commission remarked that it was "quite extraordinary" that while both sides both had their own significant databases on lost passports, there was no information sharing.

"We discovered somewhat to our consternation that it didn't exist", said Mr Faull.

The two sides will continue talks on the issue over the coming weeks so that a deal may be announced by the EU-US summit in June.