EU and US lock horns over passenger data

Date: 18/07/02

By Peter Chapman

THE EU is demanding reassurance from Washington that personal information on passengers flying to the US is not being misused.

Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio told her US counterpart John Magaw that airlines could be breaking EU data privacy rules by handing over passenger details to American authorities.

De Palacio is also opposed to stinging fines levied against airlines that fail to provide details.

Under US rules, airlines are charged €5,000 every time they fail to provide data on a passenger.

The Association of European Airlines said one large carrier paid €185,000 in penalties in May.

A spokesman for the EU transport chief said the issue was due to be tabled at this week's

EU-US bilateral and at a 31 July meeting with US department of transportation officials.

The EU is demanding reassurance from Washington that personal information on passengers flying to the US is not being misused. Article is part of a European Voice survey on Aviation.