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EU to debate data transfers to US EU to debate data transfers to US
(20 minutes later)
Members of the European Parliament are to voice concerns about the use of data on air passengers and bank transactions in a US anti-terror profiling system.Members of the European Parliament are to voice concerns about the use of data on air passengers and bank transactions in a US anti-terror profiling system.
The EU has already asked Washington for assurances that the US system is not using passenger data in ways that violate EU-US agreements.The EU has already asked Washington for assurances that the US system is not using passenger data in ways that violate EU-US agreements.
Washington says access to international bank transactions and passenger records is key to its fight against terrorism.Washington says access to international bank transactions and passenger records is key to its fight against terrorism.
The US has had access to data about European air passengers since 2004.The US has had access to data about European air passengers since 2004.
The BBC's Alix Kroeger in Brussels says that many in the EU are uneasy with the scope of the Americans' requests.The BBC's Alix Kroeger in Brussels says that many in the EU are uneasy with the scope of the Americans' requests.
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Last year, it emerged that a private company, Swift, which handles millions of money transfers, had been passing information to the US authorities in violation of EU privacy rules.Last year, it emerged that a private company, Swift, which handles millions of money transfers, had been passing information to the US authorities in violation of EU privacy rules.
The US is entitled to know as much as it wants about visitors to the country. But I'll never be visiting the country again Bilal, London class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5423&edition=2">Send us your comments Now MEPs want to know whether that data was fed into the US Automated Targeting System (ATS), which profiles possible terrorism suspects. SWIFT SCANDAL A Belgian money transfer firm, Swift handles 11m transactions per dayUS agencies subpoenaed Swift to provide transaction data to help disrupt terrorist financingThe company has more than 7,500 clients, most of them global financial institutionsIn November, the European Commission told Swift to stop violating EU privacy laws Now MEPs want to know whether that data was fed into the US Automated Targeting System (ATS), which profiles possible terrorism suspects.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released information about the targeting system in December, explaining that it was intended to detect high-risk individuals not previously known to the law-enforcement community.The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released information about the targeting system in December, explaining that it was intended to detect high-risk individuals not previously known to the law-enforcement community.
It gives anyone entering the US a numeric score, a measure of the risk he or she is thought to present, which the DHS said could be shared with state and local police and foreign governments.It gives anyone entering the US a numeric score, a measure of the risk he or she is thought to present, which the DHS said could be shared with state and local police and foreign governments.
"The European Parliament is fully supportive of proper co-operation across the Atlantic in fighting terrorism... What we don't accept is that there should be misuse of data," Liberal MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford told BBC World Service radio's World Today programme."The European Parliament is fully supportive of proper co-operation across the Atlantic in fighting terrorism... What we don't accept is that there should be misuse of data," Liberal MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford told BBC World Service radio's World Today programme.
She said that ATS went "way beyond anything we had been led to understand the information would be used for".She said that ATS went "way beyond anything we had been led to understand the information would be used for".
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MEPs also want to know whether the European Commission knows of any other requests to companies such as telecoms providers or insurers to make their data available to the Americans.MEPs also want to know whether the European Commission knows of any other requests to companies such as telecoms providers or insurers to make their data available to the Americans.
The commission has already written to the US government to ask whether the ATS profiling system is using air passenger records in ways that fall outside the current EU-US agreement. The US is entitled to know as much as it wants about visitors to the country. But I'll never be visiting the country again Bilal, London class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5423&edition=2">Send us your comments The commission has already written to the US government to ask whether the ATS profiling system is using air passenger records in ways that fall outside the current EU-US agreement.
One MEP, Dutch Liberal Sophie in 't Veld, said it was not a question of being anti-American - American privacy laws were in fact tougher than those in the EU.One MEP, Dutch Liberal Sophie in 't Veld, said it was not a question of being anti-American - American privacy laws were in fact tougher than those in the EU.
The problem was, she said, that those laws did not apply in Europe, and that there was no democratic debate on the American measures in either national parliaments or at the European level.The problem was, she said, that those laws did not apply in Europe, and that there was no democratic debate on the American measures in either national parliaments or at the European level.