E-borders plans should be dropped
Posted, June 30, 2009 @ 00:00
Plans to collect the records of everyone who enters and leaves the UK - under the so-called 'E-borders' scheme - are impractical, intrusive and could lead to chaos at our ports and international rail stations, Philip Bradbourn MEP, Conservative Vice-chairman of the European Parliament's justice and home affairs committee, warned today.
Earlier today, ferry, air and rail firms queued up to criticise the proposals in front of MPs, claiming they could breach EU laws on freedom of movement and that they would add significant costs to operators and inconvenience to passengers. Under the scheme, computerised records of all 250 million journeys made by individuals in and out of the UK each year will be kept for up to 10 years.
Mr Bradbourn said:
"While the E-borders scheme is well-intentioned it is impractical and intrusive.
"The government has lost control of our borders and laying down an intrusive surveillance net on innocent British travellers is not the best way of regaining it.
"The British government will know our every move at home and abroad. There will be no escaping our surveillance state.
"These proposals will tip the balance between necessary protection against terrorism and dangerous encroachment on our civil liberties. The right enshrined in the EU's treaties to free and easy movement across the EU will be lost under these proposals and it is time the government rethought them."