Passenger Name Record data / terrorist offences

Key points

In the present opinion, the European Economic and Social Committee expresses some reservations regarding the proposal for a directive, and voices its concern that the often-cited choice between security and freedom or, in more practical terms, stepping up security at the expense of citizens' rights, with regard to personal data, must under no circumstances run counter to the general principles underpinning fundamental personal rights.

The Committee does not believe that the proposal provides sufficient evidence of the need for blanket, indiscriminate use of the PNR data of all citizens travelling on international flights. The EESC therefore views the planned measure as disproportionate.

The EESC considers that the option of a centralised single Passenger Information Unit, instead of the decentralised Member State-based option as set out in the proposal, could be less costly for airlines and for the Member States themselves, and could allow for better supervision and control of the personal data contained in the PNR, by preventing repeated transmission of such data.