US-EU airline data accord reached

The EU has sought assurances over who can access passenger data

EU and US negotiators have struck a deal on sharing information about transatlantic flight passengers.

No details are officially available, but EU sources say data will be kept by US security agencies for 15 years.

Under agreements reached after the 9/11 attacks, European airlines must provide 34 pieces of information about passengers flying into the US.

The latest deal expires at the end of July. A replacement agreement must be approved by the EU's 27 member states.

Wednesday's deal was reached in talks between European Union Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini, German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

SOME THINGS US CUSTOMS KNOWS Your history of missing flights Your frequent flyer miles Your seat location aboard Your e-mail address

The US and the EU have differed on ways to balance security needs with concern for passengers' privacy.

A previous deal lapsed last October. The two sides failed to agree on terms for a full renewal and only reached an interim agreement.

Earlier, EU officials approved a separate agreement giving US counter-terrorist investigators access to details of international money transfers processed by the Brussels-based Swift network.

Washington says it needs the information to track and block terrorist funding, but EU regulators ruled that the original arrangement broke the union's privacy laws.