EU Member States to Share Airline Passenger Data

Brussels Airport earlier this week

The European Union approved plans to create a continent-wide system that will collect and share information on airline passengers. The move is intended to improve cooperation between EU states in the fight against terrorism.

The approval came Thursday as the European Parliament voted in favor of the measure following five years of debate. A majority of the 28 national governments must still approve the measure but that is expected to be a formality.

The debate pitted personal privacy issues against those of national and EU security, and the plan received new support following the deadly terror attacks in Paris last year and in Brussels last month. Data sharing is expected to begin within two years and focus mainly on passengers flying in and out of the European Union.

“Europe today is demonstrating its ability to mobilize to ensure the safety of European citizens, said French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, a supporter of the law, in a statement.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)