EU, Canada Sign Airline Passenger Data Sharing Deal

Airlines flying from the European Union to Canada will be required to share information on passengers with the Canadian authorities to identify potential security threats.

Under the terms of an agreement between the EU and Canada, signed by EU governments Monday in Luxembourg, airlines will have to transfer information, including contact and credit card numbers, to the Canada Border Service Agency for all people on flights bound for Canada. The EU has had a similar agreement in place with the U.S. since last May.

European Commissioner for external affairs Benita Ferrero-Waldner said the deal strikes a good balance between security standards and protection of civil liberties.

"The agreement represents the latest concrete expression of the EU and Canada's shared commitment to tackling global security threats such as terrorism in a manner consistent with the principles and values of our democracies," the commissioner said.

Sharing information on European citizens with foreign powers is a controversial issue in Europe. The European Parliament is suing the European Commission and EU governments over the U.S. data deal, saying it breaks EU privacy laws and fails to ensure adequate protection.

The Canadian agreement is less controversial because European airlines are required to hand over less information.

The data transfers will begin once Canada confirms it has completed the internal regulatory changes needed to make the exchange work.

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