PNR: DUTCH SAY THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO WEIGH IN WITH

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 002402 SIPDIS SENSITIVE EUR/ERA FOR C.ENGLISH, EUR/UBI, EB/TRA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR KJUS NL PTER SUBJECT: PNR: DUTCH SAY THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO WEIGH IN WITH COMMISSION REF: A. STATE 253041 ¶B. THE HAGUE 02297 ¶1. (SBU) The Dutch government says it will not/not seek to influence decisions on the Passenger Name Record/data privacy matter at the European Commission, instead relying on the judgment of Commissioner Bolkestein and trusting in the competency of the bodies in Brussels that are tasked with examining the privacy issue. This information comes from Andre van Wiggen of the MFA's Division of Transport in a follow-up conversation to post's September 9 demarche (ref B). Van Wiggen says the issue "has our highest attention." The MFA says it is difficult to predict what Bolkestein will do as he is "holding his cards close to his chest." ¶2. (SBU) Van Wiggen's office leads GONL interagency consultations on PNR/data privacy matters. There is at this time no consensus among Ministries on the subject. In the meantime, the Ministries of Justice and Transport are treading lightly and not issuing any new guidance to the airlines. National carrier KLM is continuing to cooperate in meeting USG passenger data requests. SOBEL