WAR: Key EU / US Data Deal 'should be scrapped', page 1

A top EU legal adviser has published a legal opinion that a key EU/ US data deal under which details of passenger lists have been passed to US Customs since last May should be scrapped.

news.bbc.co.uk
Passenger lists have been handed over to US customs since May last year, in what the US sees as a key measure to combat terrorism.

But the European parliament objected to the potential violation of privacy.

The advocate-general of the European Court of Justice has now said the deal goes beyond the EU's powers.

Philippe Leger said the European Commission and EU governments should not have taken decisions concerning security and the fight against terror, as they come under national, not EU law.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

This is only an opinion at present and the full court will have to make a final ruling before the deal can be repudiated. It is interesting that the opinion has focused on what I would see as a 'technical' issue - the EU exceeding its powers rather than on the right to privacy issue.

If the deal is repudiated by the court then I'm sure that the individual countries of the EU will have to make individual deals with US Customs as I can't see that US Customs will back away from requiring this information.

[edit on 22-11-2005 by hands]

[edit on 22-11-2005 by hands]