Britain has expressed interest in allowing American Homeland Security staff to carry out passenger checks at UK airports before transatlantic flights, according to documents obtained by the Guardian. The proposals were discussed at meetings of the European Council's transatlantic relations working party in July, where US authorities approached five EU member states.
Documents show that Britain is the only country to have explicitly welcomed the scheme, stating that it sees the advantages of the procedure. The Netherlands is examining financial and legal feasibility, while France has called for US financial support. Sweden expressed scepticism, citing concerns over the Schengen agreement and the European Convention on Human Rights, and Germany said it was extremely cautious.
Left party MP Andrej Hunko criticised the plans, saying: "We cannot accept US authorities obtaining quasi-operative competences at European airports." He argued that after revelations of US espionage, the move would send the wrong signal. Saira Grant, policy director of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, described the checks as "totally unnecessary", adding that they would infringe on the liberty of innocent travellers.
Ireland is the only European country with preclearance arrangements, covering Dublin and Shannon airports since 2009. US officials already operate at some European airports offering advice on passengers, and in 2011, 1,300 people were prevented from travelling to the US as a result. A separate EU-US data agreement allows retention of passenger information for up to 15 years.
The Home Office said that pre-clearance, already in operation in Ireland, speeds up entry through US airports and is separate from aviation security screening. It added that no UK airport had formally requested the introduction of such measures.
