[JURIST] As the United States and European Union [JURIST news archive] continue to negotiate a new joint airline passenger data-sharing agreement, US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff [official profile] reportedly reassured EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini [official profile] via telephone Tuesday that the US will continue to abide by the now-lapsed 2004 agreement [European Commission press release] until the two sides reach a new compromise. In May, the European Court of Justice [official website] struck down [JURIST report] the previous agreement [PDF text], which was made by US and EU officials after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, as lacking an appropriate legal basis. The current program mandates that airlines landing in the US provide the name, address, telephone number and credit card details of each airline passenger.

The US and the EU failed to reach an agreement [JURIST report] by the court-imposed date of September 30. The Europeans are concerned that US intergovernmental data-sharing will infringe European privacy laws. Frattini's spokesman said the two sides will likely resume negotiations Thursday. Reuters has more.