LIBE Committee draft its first opinion on API proposal

10 July 2023: The LIBE Committee published its draft report on the proposal on the collection and transfer of advance passenger information for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime. Mainly, the rapporteur strongly supports the initiative and the inclusion of intra-EU flights. The rapporteur also insists on using automated means but wants to ensure a fair and equal treatment and would like to avoid additional airport check-in fees.  

The industry welcomes the intention to grant carriers further flexibility on how to collect the data and the intention to request that the evaluation of the Regulation, incorporates its impact on carriers/passengers, as well as the necessity/proportionality/effectiveness of the collection of data for intra EU. However, we remain concerned on the lack of reference for the systematic collection of data for intra-EU for its further processing by MSs on a selective approach, on the lack of reference to the role that authorities can play in contributing to API data and on the lack of further reference to the impact that the overlap of regulations may have on airlines too. 

The reference to a fully-fledged iAPI to cope with these regulations (plus EES/ETIAS) will be relevant. On EES/ETIAS side, the timeline is still not available. Eu-Lisa is probably going to present it at the next Justice and Home Affairs Ministers Council meeting taking place on October 19th.