arethosemyfeet

EU officials are crying foul over Department of Homeland Security attempts to impose draconian and invasive data requirements on passengers travelling to the US. The US demands, however, are remarkably similar to the ones the EU itself proposes to make of passengers travelling to Europe, making the officials shouting “blackmail” and “troublesome” somewhat unlikely guardians of the citizenry’s freedoms.The problem for Brussels, essentially, is not that the DHS is making the requirements but that it’s making them without giving Brussels enough of a chance to play too, and it’s striking deals with individual member states. DHS officials are said to be circulating a ten page memorandum of understanding to EU member states which do not currently qualify for the US Visa Waiver Programme (these are mainly Eastern European new-entrants), but which could achieve visa-free travel under the new-look system if they’ll just sign here.