EU Lawmakers Condemn U.S. Anti-Terror Air Data Deal

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Key EU lawmakers dealt a blow to Washington's air security strategy on Thursday by rejecting a U.S.-EU accord on handing over passengers' personal details.


Citing civil rights concerns, the European Parliament's civil liberties committee voted by a large majority to condemn the European Commission (news - web sites) for agreeing to pass on data, such as credit card numbers and phone numbers, which Washington says it needs to spot potential terrorists.


"The agreement with the United States is not on a level that it gives enough protection to EU citizens," said Dutch Liberal Democrat Johanna Boogerd-Quaak, who was overseeing the dossier.


She said the deal, which is still a draft and is not reciprocal, did not give equal treatment between EU and U.S. citizens should they mistakenly end up on a U.S. black list.

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