The European Commission voiced confidence on Friday that EU and US negotiators holding talks in Washington on the transfer of information on air passengers would reach agreement by the weekend deadline. "Both parties are committed to respecting the timeframe set by the court as to reaching an agreement," said Friso Roscam Abbing, spokesman for EU Justice and Freedom Commissioner Franco Frattini.
The two sides are trying to reach agreement on so-called passenger name record (PNR) data, after Europe's top court quashed their previous accord on a legal technicality but allowed them to continue using it until September 30.
The negotiators, who held talks via video conference twice last week, began meeting in Washington on Thursday.
"The negotiations are going fairly well. There are a whole bunch of lawyers on both sides who will look at every single comma," the spokesman told reporters in Brussels.
He said he expected an announcement to be made later Friday or on Saturday.
A lack of agreement could lead to tens of thousands of transatlantic passengers being stranded.
"Both parties are perfectly aware that that is in nobody's interests," Roscam Abbing said, while adding that he couldn't rule out another impasse.
Under the deal, airlines must provide the US authorities with dozens of details about passengers and crew — including credit card information, addresses and telephone numbers — 15 minutes before departure of a flight.
In its ruling in May, the European Court of Justice objected to the way the original agreement was reached in 2004, but not what was contained in it.
The talks have stumbled previously over US demands that the content of the agreement also be renegotiated, something Brussels is reluctant to do.
Source: Agence France-Presse
