EU moves on air passenger deal to track foreign fighters

The European Union is moving to unblock a major legislative logjam holding up the exchange of air passenger information deemed vital to track foreign fighters who could become terrorists.
The EU lawmaker responsible for pushing the process through the assembly tabled new proposals with strengthened privacy protection clauses today aimed at ending the impasse.
British Conservative Timothy Kirkhope said his the revisions were in response to concerns that had been expressed.
So-called Passenger Name Record agreements allow authorities to exchange information for security purposes about passengers collected by air carriers during flight reservation and check in.
The EU has such agreements with the United States, Canada and Australia but a deal for sharing data among its own member countries has been blocked for four years.