Data Privacy and Protection

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.

GEORGE W. BUSH ADMINISTRATION

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 SecurityHomeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff reached out May 14, 2007, to members of the European Parliament and the media in Brussels in an effort to allay European concerns about the collection of airline passenger data as part of the U.S. fight against terrorism. In remarks before the Parliament's Civil Liberties committee, he said that access to this information had been crucial to helping prevent terrorist acts. If such data been available ahead of the September 11 attacks, he noted, U.S. authorities would have been able to find links between 11 of the 19 suicide hijackers.

2007:  Secretary Chertoff on the Beginning of 10 Fingerprint Collection at U.S. Airports (Dec 10, 2007) (DHS Press Release) | Federal Register Notice of U.S.-EU Exchange of Letters on Terrorist Finance Tracking Program/SWIFT (Oct 23, 2007) | DHS Announces Pre-departure Screening of Passengers, First Step Toward Secure Flight (Aug 10, 2007) (Secretary Chertoff Press Conference) | Homeland Security's Chertoff Announces Signing of Passenger Name Record Deal with EU (Text of Agreement) | EU, U.S. Reach Agreement on Passenger Name Record (PNR) Data (Jul 23, 2007) (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) (Video/Audio) | Homeland Security's Chertoff Discusses Data Privacy, Transfer in Media Roundtable (May 14, 2007) | Germany's Schäuble on Close EU-U.S. Counterterrorism Cooperation (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) | Treasury Cautious About Terrorist Finance Data Collection Program (Jan 22, 2007) | Treasury Report on Reporting of Cross-border Wire Transfer Data (Jan 17, 2007) | Federal Register Notice of the U.S.-EU Interim Passenger Name Record Agreement (Jan 4, 2007)

The United States welcomed an agreement with the European Union on the sharing of data on trans-Atlantic passengers headed for the United States. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the interim agreement, reached October 6, 2006, and set to expire July 31, 2007, “promotes our joint goal of combating terrorism while respecting our joint commitment to fundamental rights and freedoms, notably privacy.”

2006: U.S., EU Sign EUROJUST Pact on Transnational Crime (Nov 11, 2006) (Press Conference transcript includes mention of creation of high-level data protection contact group) | Finnish Presidency Press Release on U.S.-EU Ministerial in Washington (Nov 6, 2006) | Commerce's Cresanti Urges Global Approach to Development of RFID Technology (Oct 16, 2006) | 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) | EU Press Release on Passenger Name Record Data Agreement with the U.S. (Oct 6, 2006) | European Commission Air Passenger Data Statement (Oct 1, 2006) | Homeland Security's Chertoff on Passenger Name Record Talks with EU (Sep 30, 2006) | DHS's Mocny Reviews Use of Biometrics to Improve Travel Security, Immigration Policies (Sep 13, 2006) | Chertoff: U.S., Allies Cooperation to Enhance Security (Sep 8, 2006)

2005: Chertoff To Discuss Passenger Name Records at G8 Conference (Jun 12, 2006) | U.S. Seeks Europe's Aid in War on Terror, Justice's Gonzales Says (May 5, 2006) (Remarks) | 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) | U.S. Mission Defends U.S.-EU Air Passenger Data Accord (Apr 22, 2004)

2003: U.S., EU Agree on Data Transfer Related to Terrorism Fears (Dec 16, 2003) | Air Passenger Identification System Protects Privacy, U.S. Says (May 6, 2003)