The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission have today reached an agreement in trilogue negotiations on new rules for the collection of Advance Passenger Information (API) from air travellers.

The Parliament’s lead negotiator, ECR MEP Assita Kanko, said: “The new rules will provide a more effective framework to fight terrorism and organised crime. We will strengthen our external EU borders and get a better grip on terrorists and other criminals. At the same time, more automation will improve the travel experience for passengers. All this will be done in full respect of data protection”.

API is data collected from passengers before they begin their journey. This information typically includes details such as full name, passport or ID card number, nationality and date of birth. API is collected by airlines or transport authorities. By collecting this information in advance, authorities can perform the necessary security checks and assessments before a passenger arrives, improving overall security measures.

Kanko said:

“Every year around 1 billion air passengers are registered in the EU, half of whom cross the EU’s external borders. Unfortunately, criminals and terrorists are among these passengers. Our new law will streamline the existing collection of passenger data and close security gaps. This will help the police and the judiciary to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively”.

Kanko also expects that, in practice, the new regulation will provide better access to terrorists and other criminals who are already travelling undetected within Europe.