Europe and US negotiate deal to share citizens' biometric data, UK also approached | Computer Weekly

"A deal between Europe and the US could lead to unprecedented access by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - which operates US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - to the biometric data of European citizens. Europe and the US are holding talks on a framework agreement for an Enhanced Security Border Partnership (EBSP) between the US and the European Union (EU) that will provide the US with access to data on EU citizens."

"The agreement between Europe and the US will allow "a reciprocal exchange of information" for security screening, identity verification and visa applications. Critics say that given the sensitivity of the data involved and the widely criticised actions of ICE officers against US citizens, there is a strong public interest in understanding exactly what the European authorities are negotiating."

"But negotiations are shrouded in secrecy. The author of this article has been trying to obtain the documents for months under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws, but the Council of the European Union has refused to release them, arguing that their disclosure would harm international relations. It said that the council enjoys a "wide discretion" in determining whether disclosure of a document to the public would undermine the public interest."

"A draft of the agreement proposed by Europe has been leaked to Statewatch, which reported that the EBSP "would involve mutual continuous and systematic transfers of biometric data", understood to include fingerprints, photographs and genetic data. Statewatch, a non-profit that monitors human rights in the UK and Europe, warned that data exchanged under the proposal could be used for a wide range of purposes by the US."

Europe and the US are discussing a framework agreement for an Enhanced Security Border Partnership that would enable reciprocal information exchange for security screening, identity verification, and visa applications. The UK Home Office confirmed it received a request from US DHS to access fingerprint records related to the program, while stating no negotiations were underway. Critics argue that biometric data is highly sensitive and that ICE actions against US citizens raise strong public interest concerns about what European authorities are negotiating. Negotiations are described as secret, and attempts to obtain documents under Freedom of Information laws have been refused by the Council of the European Union, citing potential harm to international relations. A leaked draft indicates continuous and systematic transfers of biometric data, potentially including fingerprints, photographs, and genetic data, with possible broad uses.

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