Air Passenger Data Register to be created in Latvia to fight terrorism and crime

RIGA - The Latvian parliament today passed the final reading the Law on Processing Air Passenger Data which provides for the creation of the Register of the Air Passenger Data to be used in the fight against terrorism and crime.

The purpose of the new law is to ensure processing of the passenger data for the analysis required to prevent or solve terrorism crimes or grave crimes, or to prevent threats to national security, the parliament's press service said.

Latvian Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis (Unity) said earlier that the lawmakers should adopt the law about the creation of the air passenger data register as soon as possible to enable the law enforcement authorities to study the information about air travelers in order to monitor the movement of suspicious individuals.

The register will be created in accordance with the EU Passenger Name Record (PNR) Directive. After a number of terrorist attacks, the EU member states agreed on the need for such directive during Latvia’s Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2016.

The Register of the Air Passenger Data will be operated by the Latvian Security Police and will contain the data sent in by the airlines. The data will be available to different security and law enforcement agencies, and can also be shared with foreign agencies for crime prevention purposes.

The new law is to take effect on April 3 this year, and the airlines will be required to start submitting information to the Register of the Air Passenger Data no later than by September 1.