EU approves data-sharing accord with Canada on passenger details
The European Union (EU) and Canada have agreed to share Passenger Name Record (PNR) data for the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of terrorist offenses or serious transnational crimes. The EU Council has adopted a decision to conclude the agreement, which will enter into force after both parties complete their internal procedures.
Under the terms of the agreement, PNR data, such as passenger booking information, travel dates, itineraries, seat numbers, baggage, contact details, and means of payment, will be transferred from the EU to Canada. This data can be a valuable tool in the fight against terrorism and serious transnational crime, as its analysis can help identify criminal patterns.
The agreement sets out conditions for the transfer of PNR data and includes privacy and data protection safeguards. It excludes the processing of sensitive PNR data, such as racial or ethnic origin or political opinions. However, the agreement does not detail the specific independent public authorities that will oversee data protection.
Transparency measures for passengers are foreseen in the agreement, but the specific measures are not yet detailed. Similarly, the agreement does not specify the timeframe for Canada's internal procedure or the consequences if either party fails to complete their internal procedure.
In the EU, the PNR directive from 2016 regulates the transfer from airlines to EU member states authorities of PNR data of passengers of international flights. The directive also sets standards for the purposes for which PNR data can be processed in the EU.
It's important to note that the search results do not provide information about who completed the internal procedures for the ratification of the EU-Canada PNR agreements or when the compliance by the contracting parties is expected.
Independent public authorities will oversee data protection safeguards in the agreement, ensuring that the rights and freedoms of passengers are protected. The agreement is a significant step towards strengthening security cooperation between the EU and Canada.
As this is a developing story, more details about the agreement, including the specific transparency measures for passengers and the timeline for Canada's internal procedure, are expected to be revealed in the coming days.
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