EU ministers call for air passengers data exchange as counter-terrorism measure

European Union (EU) home affairs ministers called for the adoption of a data exchange system on EU air passengers at an extraordinary meeting Friday.

The Luxembourg presidency, in coordination with French authorities, convened the meeting following the tragic terrorist attacks in Paris to discuss how to strengthen the EU response to security threats.

The ministers reiterated the urgency and priority to finalize an EU passenger name record (PNR), which would gather information on air travel to and from Europe, but has until now been resisted by the EU Parliament. The directive would be established before the end of 2015 and should include internal flights in its scope and provide for a sufficiently long period to collect PNR data, ministers said.

EU ministers also pushed for measures to detect firearms smuggling and strengthen the control of Europe's external borders.

EU member states have also agreed to immediately implement external border checks and upgrade the Schengen border control systems by March 2016.

"France will keep border controls in force as long as the terrorist threat requires us to do so," French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said at the press conference. Endit