BRUSSELS - The European Union hopes to reach an agreement with the United States on a new pact on sharing of airline passenger data next Friday, the European Commission said on Sunday.US and European negotiators failed on Saturday to reach a deal to share air passenger data before an existing pact expired, but both sides said they would try to reach an agreement quickly.
A Commission statement said a draft agreement sent to the European side by US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Saturday may be discussed by EU justice and home affairs ministers in Luxembourg next Friday, “in the hope of having an agreement the same day”.