Ludford MEP: EU-US deal on passenger data is wrong

5.28.21pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 18th May 2004

Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP, justice spokeswoman for the European Liberal Democrats, has condemned the decision yesterday of EU foreign ministers to hand over airline passenger data to US security agencies.

Baroness Ludford said:

"This decision to conclude an agreement on handing over to the US sensitive personal data on all transatlantic air passengers is both wrong and sneaky.

"The European Parliament has voted several times against this agreement, on the grounds that American 'undertakings' on use or misuse of the data were legally unenforceable and not worth the paper they were written on. It thus drives a coach and horses through EU privacy laws.

"The Council of Ministers has signed while we are in recess for the Euro-elections and in order to spike our referral of the matter to the European Court of Justice. The only bright spot is that they have followed our demand to delete meal preferences, which could lead to the singling out and further stereotyping of Muslims ordering halal food.

"This example is a strong argument for greater powers for the European Parliament to block this kind of deal, which currently can be done over our heads and despite our protests."

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