Transatlantic mass surveillance is no route to security

6.23.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 11th Jul 2007

The European Parliament is expected tomorrow to condemn a new EU agreement with the US on 'Passenger Name Record' or PNR data. This will allow US authorities access to the personal information of all EU citizens taking transatlantic flights, such as frequent flier, credit card and family contact details and the ability to store it for 15 years and transfer it to third countries.

London Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford commented:

"The EU is once again dancing to the US tune in a wholesale handover of personal data with inadequate protection against wrongful use. What makes it worse is that the EU knows it will be used not for targeted detection of terrorist suspects but for 'profiling' and mass surveillance."

"The agreement lacks democratic legitimacy, being concluded over the heads of both MEPs and MPs. National parliaments, including Westminster, will only be able to take it or leave it, not alter it."

"A 'New Deal' on European and international security is needed, with law enforcement agencies required to demonstrate efficient cooperation in sharing available data on suspects before resorting to vast invasions of privacy. There is no proof that passenger profiling will do anything to stop terrorist attacks, it only allows a pretence of adequately dealing with the threat."

"If terrorism is such an important priority of the EU, why has it left the important post of Counter-Terrorism Coordinator vacant for four months? And why do so many EU states fail to implement properly EU law on anti-terrorism or respect the obligation to consult the Interpol stolen passport database?"