EU and US negotiators have struck two deals to allow the
US to snoop on air travellers and bank customers in its ongoing war
on terror.
The EU and US are believed to have struck a deal on the supply
and retention of air passenger data for transatlantic passengers,
reports the BBC.
Details have so far not been confirmed, but it is believed the
deal will allow US security agencies to keep
personal data on passengers for up to 15 years, says the
BBC.
After the 9/11 attacks, European airlines had to provide up to
34 pieces of information about passengers flying into the US.
The current interim data deal expires at the end of July, but a
replacement deal must be approved by the 27 EU member states.
In a separate deal, EU officials approved US access to the Swift
international money transfers network based in Brussels.
An earlier arrangement for US access, wanted to help prevent
terrorist funding, was said to break EU privacy laws.
Banks have a September deadline to alert customers that their
transactions could be scrutinised by US investigators.
The Swift deal is said to allow the US access to transactions
only related to suspected terrorist operations, and the data can be
held in the US for a maximum of five years, in conditions that are
said to comply with EU privacy regulations.
US Homeland Security agency loses data on 100,000 employees
>>
BBC: US-EU
airline data accord reached >>
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