BRUSSELS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) said on Sunday it hoped to conclude a pact on air passengers' data with the United States at the EU justice ministers' meeting, to be held in Luxembourg on Oct. 6.

    On Saturday, the EU and the United States failed to reach an agreement on the air passengers' data before Oct. 1, the time frameset by the European Court of Justice in its ruling of May 30, 2006.

    However, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff sent on Saturday a draft agreement to European Commission (EC) Vice-President Franco Frattini and Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja.

    The draft agreement "may be discussed during the Oct. 6 meeting of the Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in Luxembourg in the hope of having an agreement the same day," said a written statement issued by the EC, the EU's executive arm.

    The statement said Frattini and Chertoff "have agreed that the negotiations will continue in a constructive atmosphere with a view to concluding an agreement as soon as possible."

    "Much progress has already been made," the EC stressed, adding that "it is in the interests of all concerned, travelers, airlines, law enforcement agencies and data protection authorities, that a new agreement is concluded as soon possible."

    According to the statement, Frattini is "in regular contact" with Chertoff and agrees on the need to reach a rapid and satisfactory agreement.

    In the meantime, the EC urged the United States to continue to apply the safeguards for the air passengers data until such time as a new agreement is reached so as to minimize the risk of legal uncertainty and disruption to EU-U.S. flights.

    After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the United States and the EC reached an agreement, under which European airlines supply U.S. authorities with information on passengers entering the United States, including their name, address, payment details and telephone numbers.

    In May this year, the European Court of Justice struck down the existing deal on a legal technicality in May but gave the EU and the United States until Oct. 1 to replace it. Enditem

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    EU-US talks on air passenger data collapse

    BRUSSELS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The talks between the United States and the European Union (EU) on sharing air passenger data collapsed on Saturday.

    The failure of striking a deal means that airlines providing the U.S. with data after midnight could face legal action, according to European Commission (EC) spokesman Jonathan Todd. Full story >>>