The state of transatlantic ties on security
By Olivier Guitta
In a follow up to the paper I cowrote with Sally Mc Namara for ALEC in January, I just published in TCS Daily a more detailed study on transatlantic ties on security issues.
You can read the whole paper here.
Here is an excerpt:
Even though recent headlines have portrayed a rift between Europe and the US regarding terrorism issues, one shouldn't jump to conclusions. While the CIA "black sites" (unofficial jails installed mostly in Eastern Europe) issue has somewhat poisoned the public debate in Europe, as with many issues, such is often posturing by European politicos for the sake of the public. Indeed, behind the scenes, European governments are still by and large quietly cooperating with the US. This trend has actually accelerated since the London bombings of July 2005.
Cooperation on terrorism
Since Europe has become one of the main battlegrounds in the fight against Islamist terrorism, terrorist activity and the presence of terrorist support networks in Europe remains a source of concern for the US Administration. Now more than ever, the outcome of European counterterrorism efforts can have a direct impact on US national security. Poor European homeland security is now making the United States more vulnerable, and paradoxically strong US homeland security is making Europe more vulnerable. It looks like politicians from both sides of the Atlantic have gotten the message loud and clear -- especially after the Madrid and London bombings.
Transportation
Under its Container Security Initiative, the United States had secured permission from some EU countries including France and Germany to deploy specially trained US Customs Service officials to select European ports to monitor shipping manifests and inspect cargo bound for the United States. But most European governments refused implementing background checks and biometric devices for seafarers. Europeans also denied US initiative to share information about the ultimate ownership of vessels.
In May 2004, the United States and EU reached an agreement permitting airlines operating flights to or from the United States to provide US authorities with passenger name record (PNR) data in their reservation and departure control systems within 15 minutes of a flight's departure. This accord formalizes a practice in place since March 2003 that remains controversial because of fears that it compromises EU citizens' data privacy rights; the most contentious issues relate to the length and type of data stored. But late last year, Philippe Leger, the advocate general of the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice, called for the annulment of the deal that provides US counterterrorism authorities with information about air passengers, arguing the measure insufficiently protects privacy. In doing so, Leger sided with the European parliament which brought the case and against the EU executive commission and the Council of member states. The decision was confirmed by the European Court of Justice just a few days ago.