For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
"Today's ratification by the European Parliament of the Passenger Name Record (PNR) agreement demonstrates how the United States and the European Union continue to take vital steps to fight terrorism and transnational threats, while protecting privacy and civil rights. Addressing the shared security threats we face requires strong international partnerships, and this agreement is a testament to the long tradition of European and American cooperation.
PNR is an indispensable tool in our terrorism prevention efforts, and PNR data has aided nearly every high profile U.S. terrorist investigation in recent years, including New York City subway bomber Najibullah Zazi, Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad, and David Headley, who was involved in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack and was planning attacks in Europe. Additionally, this agreement will provide legal certainty for the travel and tourism industries, which will help facilitate transatlantic tourism which accounts for more than $72 billion in trade every year.
The PNR agreement reaffirms our commitment to extend essential security arrangements and protect individual liberty across the breadth of the U.S.-EU relationship. In an era of transnational threats, we should all be proud of this strong international partnership."
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