EU interior ministers agree system for passenger information
European Union interior ministers have agreed on a system for sharing airline passenger information, paving the way for the plan to track extremists to be endorsed within weeks.
Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister Etienne Schneider, who chaired the meeting in Brussels, expressed Friday his "pride that after so many years of negotiations we have now been able to conclude an agreement."
The deal will give EU law-enforcement agencies access to information gathered by airlines like names, travel dates, itinerary, credit cards and contact details.
Details would be collected from European carrier flights entering or leaving the EU as well as flights between member countries. Charter flights will be included.
The data would be kept on file for six months. The European Parliament is likely to endorse the deal over the next month.
