Policy Observatory
European court halts retention, bulk transfer of passenger data
The top EU Court has struck down an EU-Canada agreement on the processing of airline passenger records. The Passenger Name Record agreement mandated data retention and permitted the bulk transfer of personal data provided by passengers booking a flight. The Court of Justice of the EU explained "the PNR agreement may not be concluded in its current form because several of its provisions are incompatible with the fundamental rights recognised by the EU." The data can reveal "a complete travel itinerary, travel habits, relationships existing between two or more individuals, and information on the financial situation of air passengers, their dietary habits or their state of health."
Country: EU
Domains: Privacy
Stakeholder: Judicial
Tags: CJEU, agreement, personal data, data protection, EU-Canada, court decision, PNR