Report: Agreement Near on Airline Data

The United States and European Union have reached a tentative agreement on sharing airline passenger data, according to one American official quoted by the AP. But a spokesman for EU Commissioner Frits Bolkestein, who is handling the negotiations on the European side, insisted that the deal was not final. Bolkestein will appear on Tuesday before the European Parliament, which must be consulted on any deal reached. The proposed U.S. legislation has caused a storm of protest in Europe from civil liberties groups, who fear that citizens' rights to privacy will be threatened. The US has demanded that all airlines landing in the US must hand over 39 pieces of information on their passengers, including addresses and telephone numbers. (EUobserver.com)