Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-04-19-Speech-4-010-000"
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"en.20120419.4.4-010-000"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner Malmström, honourable Members, thank you very much for the opportunity to speak here during the European Parliament’s debate on this important matter. I would like to focus on some of the more overarching considerations that I believe the draft agreement gives rise to. I will leave an account of the more technical aspects of the agreement to Commissioner Malmström.
As you know, the question of the exchange of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data between the EU and the US has been on the transatlantic agenda for many years. At the same time, we have constantly received new insight into the importance of the use of PNR data in preventing and combating serious cross-border crime. In my view, there can be no doubt that PNR data constitute a very important tool for the law enforcement authorities’ efforts to deal with serious crime. We have a whole host of specific examples of this. This does not mean, however, that we should not lay down requirements for those authorities that wish to make use of PNR data.
Considerable importance should always be attached to protecting the privacy of our citizens in connection with the prevention and combating of serious crime. This is the case, of course, regardless of whether we are talking about authorities in the EU or in third countries with which we have close cooperation in respect of the combating of crime. This draft agreement contains a number of new and improved guarantees – guarantees that the US authorities have undertaken to respect when PNR data is handled. The agreement is not 100% perfect, but the US authorities have gone to great lengths to meet us half way in a number of key areas. I am therefore convinced that the agreement constitutes the best result possible under the circumstances. Let us also remember that the agreement we are debating here today does not signify the end of the transatlantic dialogue on the use of PNR data.
I would like to conclude my comments by expressing my considerable appreciation for the fact that Parliament has been prepared time and again to fight for the interests of European citizens. Few matters demonstrate this more clearly than the agreement that we are to vote on now. Thus, there can be no doubt that the prepared agreement text that we have in front of us here today is a result of Parliament’s very strong desire for the agreement to be renegotiated. That is precisely why I call on you to support the conclusion of this agreement. By doing so, you will not only be ensuring better protection for the rights and interests of European citizens and air carriers, you will also be sending a clear signal that, following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, the European Union is capable of getting tangible results. At the same time, we will be able together to demonstrate to the world around us that the EU institutions stand together when there are difficult issues to be resolved."@en1
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