ESTA OUTREACH IN THE NETHERLANDS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMSTERDAM 000035 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR CA/VO/F/P JBRENNAN CA/EX JSAVAGE EUR/WE TSMITH, EUR/PPD, CA/P DHS FOR OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS CBP FOR OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CVIS CMGT PREL KPAO PGOV NL SUBJECT: ESTA OUTREACH IN THE NETHERLANDS REF: STATE 58479 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Since the June 3 announcement of the DHS Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) program, Consulate General Amsterdam and colleagues at the U.S. Embassy in The Hague have conducted extensive ESTA outreach activities. We have developed an action plan to continue to reach out to key stakeholder groups and the public in the run up to both voluntary and mandatory implementation. At a recent meeting at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consulate officials briefed representatives from several Dutch ministries, addressed concerns and requested assistance publicizing ESTA with the Dutch traveling public. The Consulate General is developing plans to adjust visa operations to meet an anticipated increase in demand for visas due to ESTA. END SUMMARY. -------------- All Hands Effort -------------- ¶2. (U) On June 3, following release of public information regarding ESTA, Consulate General Amsterdam initiated outreach activities to maximize publicity regarding the ESTA program in advance of implementation. The Consul General discussed ESTA with Foreign Ministry, airline, airport and travel industry officials and has forwarded to them the approved public affairs materials. The CBP attachi also briefed key contacts at Schiphol International Airport connected with CBP's International Advisory Program there. The Consulate General's website has included information about the ESTA program on its home page, including information in Dutch, since June 3 and we continue to update this information as additional materials have arrived. On June 6, the Consul General discussed ESTA with an audience of 150 expats, noting that they all have a connection to Dutch travelers through personal relationships or their work and asking them to spread the word. All officers have taken opportunities at public events throughout the summer to publicize ESTA and will continue to do so. We have notified our call center of the upcoming ESTA requirements and at present callers seeking information about ESTA are directed to the DHS ESTA website for more information. DHS's tear sheets are available in the visa and American citizens services waiting rooms. ¶3. Public affairs staff at the Embassy in The Hague have reached out to travel and other journalists and will continue to do so. US FCS staff have reached out to their extensive list of travel industry contacts since the beginning of June to ensure that the travel industry has the latest information and is spreading the word within this key community. FCS is also tracking travel publications where ESTA information appears. -------------- MFA Briefing -------------- ¶4. (U) Consul General, Visa Chief and DHS CBP Acting Attachi conducted a briefing of 20 GONL officials on July 15 organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The briefing was chaired by the Deputy Head of the North America Desk and and included representatives from the MFA's Western Hemisphere Division, the Director General's office, the Office of European Affairs, Travel Office, Human Trafficking Office, Maritime and Transport Office, Consular Affairs Division and Internal Affairs Division. An official from the Prime Minister's office, and a Dutch travel industry representative were also there. Consul General provided background information on the purpose of the ESTA program, gave a timeline for implementation and explained how the program will be implemented and publicized. The Visa Chief explained how ESTA will affect diplomatic and official travelers, and briefed on how the Consulate General plans to accommodate travelers refused authorization under the ESTA program. ¶5. (SBU) MFA representatives expressed concerns about privacy protections under ESTA and other security initiatives. One official from the Western Hemisphere Division asked "Where does this all end - first PNR, now ESTA, what's next?" Others expressed concern about collecting health and other information on travelers, asserting that individuals who are HIV positive are unfairly stigmatized by questions on the current I-94W and ESTA forms. Several MFA representatives wanted to know how the ESTA applicant information would be shared; with whom and for what purpose. Consul General explained the privacy protections AMSTERDAM 00000035 002 OF 002 included in ESTA and noted that the goal of ESTA is to modernize and enhance the security of the VWP. One MFA official responded that the Dutch will discuss their concerns regarding ESTA and privacy within the European Union and that she expects some members of the Dutch Parliament and EU Parliament to raise concerns. ¶6. (SBU) ESTA funding concerns were also expressed by the MFA. One official stated that he understood that ESTA was not funded and asked how the program could succeed without sufficient financial resources. We reassured those present that DHS has the necessary technology and staffing in place to accommodate the large number of VWP travelers using ESTA. Another MFA representative asked if there are plans to begin charging for the ESTA application. Consul General responded that at this time there are no plans to charge a fee for ESTA and that once the program is operational fee collection policies may be reconsidered. Other than concerns about privacy under the ESTA program, reaction from the MFA was muted with few clarifying questions asked. Among the questions posed to and answered by the Consul General were: - What percentage of current VWP travelers will not be approved under ESTA and among those who are approved, how many will be stopped upon entry to the U.S.? - Will ESTA applicants be given the reason they are not approved for travel? - How will ESTA requirements affect diplomatic or official travel visa requirements? - Will additional questions, beyond what is now on the I-94 form be asked by ESTA? - What mechanisms will be put into place to prevent hackers or system abuse? ¶7. (SBU) Consul General solicited ideas on ways to publicize the ESTA program in advance of January's mandatory implementation date, requesting that the MFA publicize ESTA on the MFA's website with its travel advice for its citizens. A MFA representative committed to pursuing this. -------------- Outreach Before and After August 1 -------------- ¶8. (U) Consulate General, DHS and the Embassy's PAS and FCS plan future outreach and publicity activities. The ESTA program will be featured during annual vacation and immigration fairs that reach well over 130,000 people throughout The Netherlands. Media interviews continue to be sought by the PAS. FCS is in close contact with local leadership of the See America Foundation, which is an essential resource to Dutch travel agencies and provides substantial information on changes to U.S. entry requirements. We are sending diplomatic notes explaining ESTA to all Embassies and Consulates from other VWP countries represented in The Netherlands and will include this information in our regular consular newsletters. We will continue to keep the Department apprised of our additional outreach efforts as they occur. -------------- Visa Workload -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Consulate General visa operations and policies are under review for probable change. Because the impact of ESTA on visa demand is unknown, the Consulate General visa section will plan to build in increased flexibility and work closely with the call center on the information it provides to those refused ESTA authorization. The current visa workload already strains existing facilities and staffing and we are concerned that about the impact of a significant increase in the demand for visas - particularly on an urgent basis. We will also craft our public materials to help manage public expectations. ¶10. (SBU) COMMENT: Industry response to ESTA has been muted, with several airline officials commenting that the program appears to be a welcome improvement over the outdated, paper-based I-94W. Mainstream media interest in ESTA has been so far been minimal and both the Consulate and the Embassy are working to generate press coverage, particularly among travel editors and journalists. END COMMENT. AMES