THE HAGUE, Sept. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- The European Union (EU) and the United States on Saturday agreed to enhance cooperation in the fight against terrorism by improving anti-terrorism information sharing.

    "Heart of anti-terrorism cooperation is information sharing," visiting US Homeland Security Secretary Thomas Ridge told a press conference after meeting his European counterparts.

    He said both sides will find ways to protect privacy of the citizens during the exchange of information, and the US side would take into account the institutional and cultural differences between America and Europe in this aspect.

    Dutch Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner, whose country holds the EU rotating presidency, said the ministers had probed specific measures and concrete actions in implementing the EU-US declaration on terrorism signed last June.

    The measures include cutting terrorism financing, intelligence sharing, biometric passport, border control, privacy protection and exchange of data on lost passports.

    European Commissioner for justice and home affairs Antonio Vitorino said the meeting has successfully addressed three concerns -- the two sides agreed to find mechanism to guarantee privacy and passenger data protection, the EU agreed to issue biometric passport by the end of 2005, and both agreed to keep a "open door" policy for personnel and economic exchange across the Atlantic while enhancing border control and transport security.

    A few months ago, the European Parliament (EP) voted against an EU-US agreement allowing the EU authorities to transfer passengers' data to the US. The EP said the transfer would violate the EU's law on protection of EU citizens' privacy. Currently the case is pending on the European Court of Justice. Enditem