EU in passenger data deal with US

Passenger details will be sent to the US soon after take-off

The European Commission has approved a controversial agreement with the United States on sharing passenger data to improve airline security.

The deal is opposed by the European Parliament and human rights groups, who say it does not provide adequate safeguards for individual privacy.

A Commission spokesman said credit card numbers would be among the details to be exchanged.

The US has insisted on more passenger information since the 9/11 attacks.

The deal is expected to be backed by the EU council of foreign ministers later on Monday.

We came up with a balanced solution, which the member states have supported Frits Bolkestein EU internal market commissioner

The Commission spokesman, Jonathan Todd, said a renegotiation of the deal would not be possible.

Some areas of data regarded as too personal, such as meal orders or special requirements that could reveal someone's religion, race or health, would not be transferred or would be deleted by the US authorities, he said.

"We came up with a balanced solution, which the member states have supported," said EU internal market commissioner Frits Bolkestein.

The European Parliament has threatened to mount a legal challenge to the deal at the European Court of Justice.

The parliament's opinion has no legal force, but the commission will find it difficult to ignore such a strong political signal from the EU's elected assembly, officials say.

The US has agreed to use the data only in fighting terrorism and related crimes - but not for ordinary crimes as well, as Washington had initially requested.