Exchange of passenger information in Europe around the corner

The European Parliament is likely to vote about the PNR system that is to enable exchange of passenger information between EU member states. “Finally!” says European Parliament member Sander Loones. “Even though the PNR system plays a crucial role in the fight against terrorism, this project has been dragging onwards for years. The member states have long since finished doing their homework, but the European Parliament has been applying the brakes unnecessarily for a long time. It is time for the EU to leave political games and tactics behind it. Especially when our security is at stake.”

The PNR system (Passenger Name Record) is intended to make tracking Syrian fighters, drug dealers and major criminals more easy. It maps out their behavioural patterns and provides the national security services with a wealth of information.

More is needed

“PNR is an important step in the right direction. But anyone who thinks that it means all necessary steps have been taken is underestimating the security challenge that we are actually facing,” Sander Loones says. “Additional security measures are needed more than ever, in consultation with the member states. How can we also quickly share passenger information of high-speed trains? How can we better secure all nuclear installations in Europe? How can we ensure that European resources are not only used for economic challenges, but also for supporting our own institutions and municipalities in their terror prevention work? These are just a few of the debates that we must urgently conduct and for which quick measures are needed.”