(LUXEMBOURG) - EU interior ministers sealed Thursday a deal allowing personal information about European air travellers to be handed over to Australian customs officials when they fly there.

The passenger name record (PNR) deal, reached at talks in Luxembourg, would see 19 categories of data -- including credit card and passport details, e-mail addresses and travel itineraries -- provided to Australia on request.

Customs will be able to keep the data for three-and-a-half years, and store it for an additional two years, with guarantees provided that any information transferred will be protected.

It would be permitted to share such information with "specific" third countries, as long as it was to help fight terrorism and serious crimes or help track down people fleeing arrest warrants.

Sensitive information like references to race, ethnicity, religion, philosophical beliefs, trade union membership or about health or sex life would be filtered out.

The agreement mirrors one reached between the European Union and the United States last year, although "the scope is narrower," an official with the EU's Slovenian presidency underlined.

EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot described it as a "better system, better controlled, that we consider sets an example."

EU officials said that Australia had been particularly keen to reach an agreement as its national flag carrier Qantas operates a PNR database from Germany and wanted to avoid any complications.

One official said the new agreement would enter into force soon, once technical details are ironed out, but that it allowed for a two-year transition period.

Council Justice and Home Affairs, 5 June 2008

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