US must respect air passenger privacy rights

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 9th Oct 2003

MEPs voting in the European Parliament in Brussels have demanded that the US respects fundamental rights in the fight against terrorism by backing down from its intrusive demands for information on passengers on transatlantic flights.

EU-US negotiations are currently deadlocked, with the EU saying that there are insufficient guarantees against misuse of data demanded on matters such as ethnic meal requirements, banking details and personal contacts. The Parliament is insisting that the EU side should stand firm.

Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP, justice spokeswoman for the European Liberal Democrats, says:

"It is unacceptable for EU airlines to be pressured by the US authorities to break EU law on data protection under the threat of loss of landing rights. Unless the Commission and Member States act to uphold EU privacy guarantees, the European Parliament may have to involve the European Court of Justice."

"The US suffered a terrible wrong on 9/11 but the Bush administration's response risks jettisoning American values of justice, liberty and non-discrimination."

"Using the 'war' on terrorism as an excuse to ride roughshod over civil liberties will only serve to increase distrust and hostility."

Sarah Ludford will be joining an EP delegation to the US in mid-November and this will be one of the items discussed.