EU-US agreement reached on the use of passenger data

The European Union and the United States reached an agreement on 6 October 2006 on the processing and transfer of passenger name record (PNR) data by airlines to the US government. Airlines flying from the EU to the US can transfer passenger information including names, addresses, phone numbers, itineraries and credit card numbers to US government agencies defined in the agreement. This agreement replaces the one of May 2004 reached between the European Community and the United States, after the European Court of Justice considered a Council Decision to conclude the Agreement illegal because of inappropriate legal basis. However, it did not rule on the content, in particular whether data protection standards had been sufficiently respected by the European Community.

The new agreement pursues the fight against terrorism and serious transnational crime. It includes references to European standards on fundamental rights, notably privacy.

Moreover, even though passenger information can be passed on by the recipient agencies to other US agencies with counter-terrorism functions, which was already possible under the 2004 agreement, none of these agencies will have any direct electronic access to PNR data. Moreover, these agencies have to respect data protection standard comparable to those imposed upon the recipient agencies.

The interim agreement will enter into force as soon as it is approved by the Council and will be valid until 31 July 2007, unless extended by mutual agreement. Negotiations on a long term agreement are likely to start at the beginning of 2007.

Commission holds joint meeting with African Union in Addis Ababa

The European Commission met the Commission of the African Union (AU) for a joint working session on 2 October in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It was their third meeting together in the last three years, but the first outside the European continent. The growing institutional, financial and political partnership saw several commissioners travel to Ethiopia, including President José Manuel Barroso and two Vice-Presidents Franco Frattini (Justice, freedom and security) and Siim Kallas (Administration).

The two parties signed a wide-ranging support programme worth €55 million for the African Union's operational and institutional development, to be implemented from 1 January 2007. They also agreed to establish a permanent exchange of officials between the two Commissions to support regional governance.

The leaders agreed to work towards the creation of regional centres of excellence for research and higher education. In this context, they also committed themselves to providing additional support for the Erasmus Mundus programme to help better qualified African students to come to Europe for postgraduate education.

The parties decided to establish an EU-Africa partnership on infrastructure to support interconnectivity at inter-regional continental level. Over the next six years, an estimated €5.6 billion will be used to identify and address needs and to improve security and safety in transport, water, energy and ICT networks.

The question of migration was also discussed: during a meeting on this issue, participants stressed that migratory flows needed to be managed to the mutual benefit and development of both continents. They hope to reach a final shared analysis of the challenges and actions to address at the EU-African ministerial conference on migration and development in Tripoli, Libya. This is scheduled for 22- 23 November 2006.

The EU has been actively supportive of the African Union since its establishment in July 2002. Through the African Peace Facility, set up by the Commission, the EU has demonstrated its political commitment with financial support. It has aided African peace-keeping operations in a number of projects covering institutional capacity building, governance, peace building and conflict prevention. Since its establishment, the AU has gained more and more credibility as it progresses towards its objectives: greater political and economic continental integration; more democratic societies, based on the rule of law; and, the development of African-led responses to sustainable development challenges.

European Defence Ministers review EU-led peace operations and military capabilities

EU ministers of defence met to discuss EU-led operations around the world as well as the outlook of military capabilities within the framework of an informal meeting in Levi, Finland, on 2-3 October.

EU High Representative Javier Solana expressed his concern for the "dramatic" situation in Darfur (Sudan). EU ministers agreed on three priorities: ensuring the transition of responsibilities from the African Union to the United Nations; the strengthening of the operational capacity of AMIS; and, the effective implementation of the Darfur peace agreement. Since July 2005, an EU civilian-military supporting action to AMIS II (the African Union mission deployed in Darfur) is operational. EU ministers also looked at Europe's role in Lebanon, particularly concerning the major contribution made by the EU to the reinforced UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL. EU-led operations in the Congo were described as a great success: EU support is not limited to the military operation EUFOR RD Congo but also involves police (EU Police Mission in Kinshasa) and security sector reform (EUSEC DR Congo). The role of EUFOR RD Congo was praised for defusing tension during the incidents in Kinshasa last August; EU ministers reaffirmed their hope that the second round of elections, expected to take place on 29 October, will move Congo to the final stage of its transition to democracy.

EU ministers welcomed the achievements of the EU operation EUFOR-Althea in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the smooth implementation of elections in BiH on 1 October. In their efforts to strengthen EU military capabilities, Defence Ministers welcomed the "Long Term Vision report" from the European Defence Agency (EDA); a study addressing defence challenges between now and 2025. "It provides shared views on the state of the world in which European Security and Defence Policy operations will take place and on what kind of capabilities will be needed to conduct those operations successfully" Dr Solana said. According to the report future EU military missions "are likely to be expeditionary, multinational and multi-instrument" and "complementarity of civil and military effort will determine success."

The European Commission adopted a strategy to integrate trade policy into the European Union's competitiveness and economic reform agenda on 4 October. The strategy entails opening up new markets abroad for EU companies and ensuring that European companies are able to compete fairly in those markets. European markets will remain open in line with a global market and global supply chain approach. "An open market is not just a lowered tariff – it is a market in which European companies get a fair deal, with freedom to compete and legal protection when they do. Europe's policy needs to be clear: rejection of protectionism at home; activism in opening markets abroad," EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said. Vice-President Günter Verheugen added: "Our key objective is to deliver on growth and jobs, for the benefit of our citizens and companies. For that, Europe needs better market access and an international economic environment conducive to growth and jobs. The actions adopted today will thus strengthen our renewed Lisbon strategy."

Fight against counterfeiting: Commission compiles a list of target countries

Based on the results of a survey of EU businesses published on 5 October, the Commission has set up a list of target countries and regions on which it will focus activity and resources in the fight against counterfeiting. The list shows that two thirds of all counterfeit goods, seized on entering the EU, come from China. Other target countries include Russia, Ukraine, Chile and Turkey. However, the Commission has made it clear that the list does not constitute a blacklist; it will help to focus technical assistance. The results of the survey are intended to provide a resource for European businesses by making them aware of the risks they may face when dealing with certain third countries, but also by drawing attention to the resources available for protecting their intellectual property rights outside the EU.

Commission restricts liquids in cabin baggage to tackle threats from liquid explosives

Aviation security in the EU will be stepped up thanks to a new Commission regulation restricting the quantity of liquids that passengers can take onto aircrafts. Passengers will be allowed to take liquids in containers not exceeding 100 millilitres in capacity. The regulation makes an exception for medicines and dietary requirements including baby food needed during a trip, and allows passengers to take on board liquids, such as drinks and perfumes obtained beyond the points where boarding passes are checked. The regulation lays down precautions to prevent tampering or interference after purchase. The regulation includes certain measures to help screening staff minimise delays. This new regulation is the Commission's response to last month's foiling of an alleged bomb plot on an aircraft flying to the United States which would have involved the use of liquid explosives. "The threat of liquid explosives is real and generic. The new regulation will plug a gap in our defences, by restricting the liquids that passengers can carry past screening points and on board aircraft, "said Jacques Barrot, Commission Vice-President in charge of transport.
For more information, have a look at the Questions and Answers on Aviation Security.

Commission to recover unduly spent CAP money from Member States

The European Commission decided on 5 October to claim back a total of €317.3m of EU farm money unduly spent by Member States. Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the United Kingdom have failed properly to apply their recovery procedure. "We have been working very hard to ensure the best possible control over farm spending. This latest decision is the result of painstaking work in cases where we are not satisfied with the way in which Member States have recovered incorrectly spent money" said Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural development Mariann Fischer Boel. "The Commission is serious about not tolerating irregular spending of the EU's taxpayer's money" said Commissioner in charge of administrative affairs audit and anti-fraud Siim Kallas. "Today's decision is vital for a credible protection of the EU's financial interests." The decision concerns irregularities communicated by the Member States before January 1999. National authorities are responsible for paying out, checking expenditure and for the recovery of unduly paid amounts under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Commission decides on allocations for Member States under the European Fisheries Fund

The European Commission agreed on an annual allocation per Member State of the financial contributions provided under the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). The EFF, operational from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013, will substitute the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG): the EFF is expected to become the EU's main tool for financial support to the Common Fisheries Policies. The Fund has at its disposal a budget of €3.849 billion; of this sum, around €272m has been allocated to the acceding countries Bulgaria and Romania, while €30m will go towards technical assistance provided by the Commission for the implementation of the EFF. A table setting out the allocation of funds between the Member States, with the breakdown between convergence and non-convergence regions, for the next seven years, can be consulted online.

Commission takes action to improve road safety

Ensuring better road infrastructure and engineering, as well as using blind spot mirrors in heavy vehicles, are the two road safety proposals, adopted by the Commission on 5 October. The target is to halve the number of road deaths in Europe by 2010 and these measures aim to secure higher standards of road safety management through impact assessments, audits and inspections. Commission Vice-President Jacques Barrot said: "Many lives could be saved and many accidents avoided if the existing road infrastructure were managed according to the best available know-how on safety engineering." The use of blind spot mirrors in heavy vehicles is intended to protect the more vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and motorcyclists. It is estimated that the proposed measures could reduce the number of accidents with injury by as much as 7,000 and avoid the loss of 600 lives every year.

Commission welcomes US decision to reduce government control over internet management

The European Commission welcomed the agreement reached on 29 September between the US Department of Commerce and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN): the arrangement grants ICANN more freedom from the US government for the next three years and will clear the way for a full privatisation of the internet domain name manager after 2009. "I welcome the US government's declared intention to grant more autonomy to ICANN and to end its governmental oversight of the day-to-day management of the internet over the next three years," said Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media. The European Commission has been working for several years on a system of internet governance entrusted fully to the private sector without government interference in the internet's day-to-day management.

Commission proposes €100m fund for developing countries to support clean and secure energy

The European Commission proposed on 6 October the setting up of a Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund (GEEREF) aimed at mobilising private and public risk capital investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in developing countries and economies in transition. GEEREF is intended to promote the creation of regional sub-funds tailored to regional needs and conditions; sub-funds are envisaged for the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) region, North Africa, non-EU Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia. Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said: "This is an innovative mechanism. It underlines the Commission's commitment to help developing countries invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency. It will contribute to bringing clean, secure and affordable energy supplies to the 1.6 billion people around the world who have no access to electricity." The Commission will provide a financial contribution of €80m over the next four years and hopes that by March 2007 a total €100m will be mobilised.

European Commission and IAEA celebrate 25 years of cooperation

On 5 October the European Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) celebrated 25 years of cooperation in the field of nuclear material and facilities. Over this period, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission has provided considerable scientific and technical support to the work of the IAEA which involves verifying that states fulfil their obligations in the area of nuclear non-proliferation. "Work on nuclear safeguards is extremely important for global security," said European Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik. "Our work with the IAEA will remain fundamental to what we do in this field. I am sure the next 25 years will be as successful as the last." To celebrate the event, the Joint Research Centre's Institute for Transuranium Elements in Karlsruhe (Germany) hosted an event with workshops, a tour of European facilities and a joint IAEA - Commission exhibition.