Border controls lead EU down 'dangerous route'

4.44.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 13th Feb 2008

Commenting on the proposed new EU border surveillance measures and transatlantic passenger-tracking developments, Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman Baroness Sarah Ludford said:

"The EU is going down a very dangerous route of tracking, storing and accessing data on individuals' movements without an adequate grip on the consequences for privacy, notably through 'profiling', misuse and carelessness. Incapable of solidarity in standing up to unreasonable US demands, EU states are instead sacrificing our civil liberties through cynical 'me too' opportunism."

"Neither national parliamentarians nor MEPs - despite our best efforts - have sufficient clout to stop this 'Transatlantic Big Brother' since these matters can at present be decided by EU governments alone. Instead of creating a surveillance monster, they should make a reality of intelligence-led policing and targeted monitoring, but that is seemingly too difficult for them to achieve as it requires more real effort."

You can read more about this issue, including Sarah's coverage in the Guardian here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/feb/23/uksecurity.terrorismandtravel

and also in the Mail on Sunday here:

http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/newsfeed/2008/02/24/air-travellers-face-new-eu-snooper-law-78057-20329340/