US-Czech travel security memo risks legal action

Summary:

The European Commission is considering legal action against the Czech Republic after it made an agreement with the US government on travel security arrangements.

The Commission is concerned that the memorandum might cut across its own power to negotiate visa-facilitation agreements on behalf of countries of the Schengen border-free zone and that its contents might contravene existing EU law. Draft versions of memoranda were sent by the US to various European capitals with which it has been negotiating in recent weeks. They contained requirements on the sharing of data about airline passengers as well as other travellers, participation in the planned US Electronic Travel Authorisation system, enhanced security standards for travel documents, repatriation of nationals and "former citizens", information exchange on lost and stolen passports and the presence of air marshals on flights.