After long-haul negotiations, a vote on the recording of passenger data for the prevention of terrorist attacks and serious crime.

On the arrivals board: airline passenger data sharing

It’s taken almost five years, but one of  Europe’s most controversial directives,

the airline Passenger Name Record,  or PNR,

neared the end  of its long haul through Parliament.

We've created a directive  which I know is going to save lives

protect rights, catch criminals and  make Europe a safer place for our citizens.

PNR is about collecting  basic passenger details:

to be used in the fight against terrorism  and serious crime like people trafficking.

It can be kept for five years, but  after six months is rendered anonymous.

Supporters say privacy protection is solid.

The PNR is not an instrument  of indiscriminate mass surveillance.

PNR is a selective and proportionate tool  framed by extremely vigilant procedures.

Unjustified mass surveillance, without  differentiation of geographical areas

or periods of time is inconsistent  with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

We have to confess that external pressure  has been huge,

the debate has often been  completely fact free,

the lobby has been aggressive  and sometimes immoral

and there have been  many ad hominem attacks.

But it remains to be seen  whether we get the security

that everyone is talking about  or whether this is just fake security.

The MEP steering PNR  says it already has proved its value.

In the last 5 years, things have gone on  to a totally different level.

There have been a number of people  who have been detained

from their intentions  to commit terrorist acts.

In light of recent terrorist attacks, many  MEPs want PNR implemented immediately.