Data retention issue stymies EU air passenger bill

Attempts to finalise the EU-wide passenger name records bill before the end of year seem increasingly unlikely given the wide political differences between a handful of leading MEPs and member states.

The European Commission’s proposal is to create a legal basis for airlines to exchange personal details of passengers with member states’ authorities in efforts to track criminals, terrorists, and so-called foreign fighters.

But a handful of leading MEPs in the civil liberties comm...