Brussels
The European Court of Justice this week struck down an E.U. treaty requiring airlines flying to the U.S. to give passenger data to U.S. authorities. Washington persuaded Brussels to start handing over the data—including passengers’ names, addresses, and credit card information—shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But the court said the E.U. Council of Ministers didn’t have the authority to sign such an agreement. Many members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have been opposed to the deal all along and lobbied for the court to review it. “Our victory in this case demonstrates the refusal of MEPs to buckle in the face of trans-Atlantic bullying,” said Sarah Ludford, a parliament member from Great Britain. U.S. officials said that passengers arriving from Europe will face long security checks at U.S. airports if a new deal isn’t struck.
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