This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/5395928.stm

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
EU-US airline data talks collapse EU-US airline data talks collapse
(40 minutes later)
Talks between the United States and the European Union on transferring airline passengers information and data have broken down, according to EU officials. Talks between the United States and the European Union on sharing confidential airline passenger information have broken down, according to EU officials.
After 9/11, US authorities demanded that airlines provide personal passenger data for all inbound flights. But officials say there will be no disruption to transatlantic flights.
An earlier agreement was ruled to be illegal by the highest European court. The deadline for a new deal was today. After 9/11, US authorities demanded that airlines should provide personal passenger data for all inbound flights.
A European Commission spokesman said that a "legal vacuum" could be created by the lack of agreement. But the subsequent US-EU agreement was ruled illegal by the highest European court. Saturday was the deadline for a new deal.
Airlines refusing to provide passenger lists to the US may lose landing rights but those that do risk facing legal action under EU member states' data protection legislation. A European Commission spokesman said that a legal black hole could be created by the lack of agreement.
EU Transport Commission spokesman Jonathan Todd told BBC News 24 that attempts to resolve the deadlock would continue. "There is no agreement. There is a legal vacuum as of midnight tonight," said EU Transport Commission spokesman Jonathan Todd.
Imperative
As a result, airlines refusing to provide passenger lists to the US may lose landing rights in the country, but those that do risk facing legal action under EU member states' data protection legislation.
But Mr Todd told BBC News 24 that attempts to resolve the deadlock would continue.
"We will be discussing this at the highest political levels to see how we can take if forward. There is an imperative to sort it out sooner rather than later," he said."We will be discussing this at the highest political levels to see how we can take if forward. There is an imperative to sort it out sooner rather than later," he said.
However, the US Homeland Security Secretary told Reuters news agency that there was "absolutely no basis" to say that discussions had broken down.
"We are confident we can move forward to a mutually acceptable agreement," Mr Chertoff said.
Since 2003, US authorities have requested that airlines provide passengers' personal data to American security officials, including credit card information and telephone numbers.Since 2003, US authorities have requested that airlines provide passengers' personal data to American security officials, including credit card information and telephone numbers.
Such data must be transferred to authorities within 15 minutes of a flight's departure for the US. A total of 34 pieces of data must be transferred to authorities within 15 minutes of a flight's departure for the US.
This practice was deemed illegal by the European Court of Justice. This practice was deemed illegal by the European Court of Justice, leading to talks for a new agreement.