The European Union’s Passenger Name Record Data Directive 2016/681: Is It Fit for Purpose?

In 2016 the European Union (EU) introduced a Passenger Name Record Data (PNR) Directive. There has been controversy in the EU over the acquisition and sharing of PNR data, related mainly to the lack of safeguards and protection of personal data protection. This article examines these issues related to earlier EU PNR agreements with third countries and why previous EU attempts to legislate in this area failed. By drawing a comparison with the 2011 PNR Directive proposal, the article argues that by meeting the strict EU law on data protection as well as being necessary to assist in preventing and detecting acts of terrorism and serious crime it is submitted the 2016 Directive is fit for purpose and able to withstand scrutiny by the Court of Justice of the European Union.