Canada and the European Union (EU) have signed an agreement on Passenger Name Record (PNR) data sharing in Brussels, Belgium. Under the agreement, European air carriers will provide passenger information that is vital for fighting terrorism and serious transnational crime.
The agreement outlines the rules and conditions for transferring protected Passenger Name Records between European air carriers and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). It meets the need for information sharing in the global fight against terrorism and serious transnational crime, while upholding shared values regarding data protection and privacy. PNR data helps CBSA officers identify high-risk travellers by assessing potential risks and identifying related trends. The agreement protects travellers’ privacy interests through strict controls on the use, access, retention and disclosure of travellers’ reservation details.
Benefits of the agreement include the receipt of PNR data in advance of a flight’s departure for Canada. This will allow the CBSA to assess and respond to any identified threat at the earliest possible opportunity.
Quick Facts
- This new agreement supports several of the CBSA’s priorities to secure the border and modernize the processing of travellers and goods, including initiatives under the Canada/U.S. Beyond the Border Action Plan.
- The U.S. and Australia recently concluded similar PNR negotiations with the EU.
- The agreement ensures traveller data will be transferred only under strict technical conditions and will be afforded all appropriate privacy protections.
- The next step is for the agreement to be tabled in both the EU and Canadian Parliaments for ratification.
- PNR data is personal information collected by air carriers for business purposes and generally stored in their reservation system. This may include information such as seating, baggage, itinerary, date of ticket purchase, method of payment and other transactional information.
- The Office of the Privacy Commissioner was consulted extensively during the negotiations.
Quotes
“Signing this agreement demonstrates that both Canada and our EU counterparts are committed to countering terrorism and serious transnational crime and share common values with respect to data protection and privacy.”
The Honourable Steven Blaney,
Minister of Public Safety of Emergency Preparedness
Associated Links
Information on Passenger Name Records on the CBSA Web site
Content of the previous agreement
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Contacts
Canada Border Services Agency
Media Line
613-957-6500
Jason Tamming
Press Secretary
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
613-991-0657
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