Data Privacy & Protection

U.S., EU Carry Out Passenger Name Record (PNR) Review - Representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the European Union (EU) held a joint review of the 2007 U.S.-EU Passenger Name Record (PNR) agreement on February 8-9, 2010, in Washington, D.C., says a joint statement issued on February 10. The U.S.-EU PNR agreement sets forth commitments for the processing and transfer of PNR for flights between EU Member States and the United States. During the course of the comprehensive, two-day review, an EU expert delegation led by the European Commission observed first hand how PNR contributes to DHS’s layered approach to border management and aviation security and how DHS handles PNR data. The EU expert delegation will issue a report reflecting its analysis resulting from the two days of site visits and discussions.

2010: U.S. Disappointed in EP Vote on Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (Feb 11, 2010) | U.S., EU Issue Carry Out Passenger Name Record (PNR) Review (Feb 10, 2010)

2009: U.S., EU Reach Agreement on Common Personal Data Protection Principles (Oct 28, 2009) | Joint U.S.-EU JHA Ministerial Final Statement (Oct 28, 2009) | Privacy Impact Assessment Update for TSA Whole Body Imaging (Jul 23, 2009)

GEORGE W. BUSH ADMINISTRATION

The U.S.-EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial, meeting in Washington on December 12, 2008, said in a statement that the European Union and the United States had identified a wide range of common principles and certain outstanding issues relating to privacy and personal data protection, and that their aim is to start negotiation of a binding international agreement as soon as possible.

2008: U.S., EU Issue Statement on Common Data Privacy and Protection Principles (Dec 12, 2008) | U.S.'s Chertoff, Belgium's De Gucht Discuss Terrorism, Data Privacy at GMF Event (Mar 16, 2008) | U.S., Germany Agree to Share Fingerprint Databases and Terrorist Information (Mar 11, 2008) | Homeland Security's Chertoff, Britain's Interior Minister Discuss Travel Security Issues (Feb 11, 2008)

Homeland Secrurity Secretary Chertoff (third from left) Addresses the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee in Brussels, Belgium, on May 14, 2007. Photo: Barry Bahler, Department of Homeland Security2007:  Federal Register Notice of U.S.-EU Exchange of Letters on Terrorist Finance Tracking Program/SWIFT (Oct 23, 2007) | Homeland Security's Chertoff Announces Signing of Passenger Name Record Deal with EU (Jul 27, 2009) (Text of Agreement)  | U.S., EU Initial Agreement on Transfer of Air Passenger Data (Jul 5, 2007) | Homeland Security's Chertoff Addresses European Parliament Committee on Data Transfer, Privacy (May 14, 2007) (Secretary Chertoff's Letter to the Civil Liberties Committee) | Press Conference with U.S.'s Chertoff, Commission's Frattini and Germany's Schaüble (May 14, 2007 | Homeland Security's Chertoff Discusses Data Privacy, Transfer in Media Roundtable (May 14, 2007) | Hugo Teufel, Chief Privacy Officer at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (left) and Jane Horvath, Chief Privacy Officer at the Department of Justice, speak at a media roundtable in Brussels, May 7, 2007. Photo: Marijke HendrickxChief U.S. Data Privacy Officers Reach Out to EU (May 7, 2007) | Federal Register Notice of the U.S.-EU Interim Passenger Name Record Agreement (Jan 4, 2007)

2006: U.S., EU Sign EUROJUST Pact on Transnational Crime (Nov 11, 2006) (Press Conference Transcript/Creation of High-Level Data Protection Contact Group) | U.S., Europeans Agree on Sharing Airline Passenger Data (Oct 6, 2006) | Homeland Security's Chertoff Welcomes U.S.-EU Passenger Data Agreement (Oct 6, 2006)

2005: U.S. Seeks Europe's Aid in War on Terror, Justice's Gonzales Says (May 5, 2006) | U.S., EU Counterterror, Security Experts Outline Next Steps (Oct 7, 2005) | U.S., EU Conduct Review of PNR Accord Implementation (Sep 21, 2005) | U.S. Discusses Data Protection, Retention with EU Countries (Apr 14, 2005)

2004: U.S., EU Discuss Border, Transport Security, Data (Nov 23, 2004) | U.S. Publishes PNR Commitments in Federal Register (Jul 9, 2004) | U.S., EU Sign Passenger Data Collection Agreement (May 28, 2004) | U.S. Applauds EU Decision on Airline Passenger Data (May 19, 2004) | Ridge, EU Officials Discuss Passenger Data, Aviation Security (May 10, 2004)

2003: U.S., EU Agree on Data Transfer Related to Terrorism Fears (Dec 16, 2003)