On 18 March, MEPs have approved agreements on the transfer of passenger name record (PNR) data from the European Union to Norway and Iceland, as well as on its subsequent processing. The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs endorsed these agreements to facilitate the prevention and investigation of serious crimes and terrorism.
In the vote on the agreement with Norway, 51 MEPs supported it, eight opposed it, and three abstained. For the agreement with Iceland, 49 MEPs voted in favour, 8 opposed, and 3 abstained. PNR data includes details such as passengers’ travel dates, itineraries, contact information, seat assignments, and luggage information.
The agreements establish clear rules for transferring PNR data to Norway and Iceland, ensuring that data processing is strictly limited to what is necessary for the detection and prevention of serious crimes and terrorism. Additionally, the agreements prohibit the processing of sensitive data and outline data retention periods, among other provisions.
“The processing of PNR data has proven to be an effective tool in strengthening the security of the Schengen area by contributing to the detection of crime at the external borders. At the same time, strict safeguards are included to ensure that data is used solely for specified purposes, retained only for limited periods, and protected against misuse or unauthorized access. The agreements allow us to address modern security challenges in a coordinated manner with our Schengen partners Norway and Iceland,” said rapporteur Jaroslav Bžoch (PfE, the Czech Republic).
The consent decisions will be presented to the full Parliament during its session scheduled for April 27 to April 30.
