The European Union(EU) law makers were under pressure after a debate Tuesday to approve a draft law which would force airlines to provide passengers' data to EU countries with an aim to fight terrorism.
"We must put in place our own EU rules and standards ... as soon as possible" to prevent criminals exploiting gaps in the EU, Xinhua quoted Timothy Kirkhope, Civil Liberties Committee rapporteur, as saying.
He stressed that threats to EU security are much greater than they were one year ago when the Civil Liberties Committee rejected the proposal.
European Commission presented a proposal in February 2011, which would oblige air carriers to provide EU countries with the data of passengers entering or leaving the continent in preventing, detecting, investigating and prosecuting serious crimes and terrorist offences.
The draft directive was rejected by the Civil Liberties Committee in April 2013.
