ALDE calls for EU-US Agreement on Passenger Name Records (PNR) to be made public

12.00.00am GMT Mon 13th Mar 2006

ALDE MEPs Sophie In't Veld, Alexander Alvaro and Sarah Ludford have contested the classification as "confidential" of the EU Commission report on joint review of the implementation of the EU-US agreement on PNR (Passenger Name Record).

In a letter sent yesterday to the President of the committee, Jean-Marie Cavada, they have asked him to ensure that the Commission makes clear in the view of the meeting of Monday to examine the report why it is classified as confidential, and pleaded for making the document public. They have also asked to the committee President to refer the matter to the inter-institutional committee treating controversies among institutions in transparency matters.

"It is completely unjustified to deny public access to the report, and I call on the Commission to review this decision. Keeping this document confidential would even create an unjustified fear about the level of compliance concerning the protection of data of EU citizens. I therefore feel it is imperative that the document and the debate are public to dispel misapprehensions" stated Sophie In't Veld.

"It is absurd to 'cry wolf' by classifying as confidential documents which merely cause political embarrassment. This degrades and devalues the whole system of confidentiality, and means that no one will trust the classification even when there is material that is truly sensitive on security grounds" declared Sarah Ludford.

Alexander Alvaro, co-ordinator of the ALDE MEPs in the committee, stated: "we expect from the Commission on Monday very good reasons to justify its decision to hide away from public scrutiny the report. We are ready to go forward and contest the decision with the other institutions" while Jeanine Hennis-Plasshaert, went on by stating "We will probably be put in front of an alleged choice between protecting EU citizens' rights to privacy and transparency, or protecting international relations. I want to hear from the Commission, and if necessary from third States' representatives directly, how and why the document could harm our relations with the US".