Second Report from the Commission to the Council on visa waiver reciprocity with certain third countries Presentation and first exchange of views
El Pais: All the date that airlines flying to the US transmit without your agreement (05-10-2006)
The European Council on Justice and Home Affairs must make a pronouncement tomorrow on whether to give its assent to the agreement being negotiaated with the US on the transfer of data about passengers arriving to that country. Meanwhile, the US authorities have at their disposal every day a detail picture of the thousands of travellers landing on the North American country.
Name, Address, Billing Address, Contact Phone Numbers, Complete Itinerary, Frequent Flier Information (miles and destinations), Travel Agent (company and person), Information on Joint Reservations with other passengers, e-mail address, Baggage label numbers, information on reservation changes, information on passenger requests, history of changes to passenger record, all the information in the "Advance Passenger Information System", information on internet fares.
My personal opinion used to be that the Visa Waiver Program should be discontinued, but seeing the list of items requested (full frequent flier history? e-mail address? Billing address?) the only solution is to not fly to the US. Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides
Yep.
My personal opinion used to be that the Visa Waiver Program should be discontinued, but seeing the list of items requested (full frequent flier history? e-mail address? Billing address?) the only solution is to not fly to the US.
Of course, this assumes that the US doesn't already have some or all of that information, or couldn't easily get it if it wanted it.
"Your payment has been pre-approved, and your reservation is almost complete. Please check each of the following 34 items to indicate your agreement to have these data passed on to the US government. Your reservation cannot be completed without this agreement. Your payment will then be charged to your account." Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides
European Commission: The European Commission adopts its second Report on visa waiver non-reciprocity with third countries (04/10/2006)
The European Commission adopted its Second Report on cases where visa waiver non-reciprocity is maintained with certain third countries. This shows progress: visa reciprocity has now been achieved with a certain number of countries. On the contrary, for the United States the opening of a dialogue is encouraging but there is no tangible progress for the moment towards visa exemption ... This being said, it is clear that the situation as regards the United States of America is not improving and our American counterpart does not seem willing to engage in a result-oriented dialogue at short notice.
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This being said, it is clear that the situation as regards the United States of America is not improving and our American counterpart does not seem willing to engage in a result-oriented dialogue at short notice.
Senate Judiciary Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and ranking member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., sent Chertoff a letter asking him to strengthen the visa waiver program by implementing recommendations from a Government Accountability Office report earlier this month. ... Kyl said the government needs more information faster on travelers boarding planes so border officials can make informed decisions on whether they should be cleared. "Congress may need to alter the requirements of the program to ensure that visa waiver countries are giving DHS the data it needs to make those decisions," he said. GAO found several weaknesses with the program. The department has not established adequate operating procedures for countries to report stolen or lost travel documents to the program and the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol); and has not given U.S. border inspectors automatic access to Interpol's databases at primary inspection points, GAO said.
Kyl said the government needs more information faster on travelers boarding planes so border officials can make informed decisions on whether they should be cleared. "Congress may need to alter the requirements of the program to ensure that visa waiver countries are giving DHS the data it needs to make those decisions," he said.
GAO found several weaknesses with the program. The department has not established adequate operating procedures for countries to report stolen or lost travel documents to the program and the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol); and has not given U.S. border inspectors automatic access to Interpol's databases at primary inspection points, GAO said.
US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff [official profile] reportedly reassured EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini [official profile] via telephone Tuesday that the US will continue to abide by the now-lapsed 2004 agreement [European Commission press release] until the two sides reach a new compromise.
