Initialling of the "Umbrella agreement" between the European Union and the United States in the margins of the Justice and Home Affairs meeting between senior officials of the European Union and the United States of America

Under the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union, on 8 and 9 September 2015 a meeting of senior officials of the European Union and the United States was held within the context of Justice and Home Affairs.

In particular, the discussions concerned migration, border management and cooperation in the field of human trafficking and the illicit traffic of migrants. Another subject discussed was the EU-US PNR (for "Passenger Name Record", an agreement concerning the personal data of passengers travelling between the EU and the United States).

Cooperation against cybercrime, with special attention to the sexual abuse of children online, as well as collaboration in the field of drugs, were also discussed during the meeting, along with the fight against corruption and organised crime.

The other subjects considered were the fight against terrorism, including, in particular, money laundering and radicalisation in prisons. Another discussion concerned data protection and cooperation in the field of criminal law. The senior officials also prepared for the ministerial meeting which will be held in Washington in November during the Luxembourg Presidency.

On the margins of the meeting of senior officials, the European Commission, represented by Ms Paraskevi Michou, Acting Director-General for DG Justice, and the United States, represented by Mr Bruce Swartz, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, initialled the so-called "Umbrella agreement".

This framework agreement governs the conditions for transferring and processing personal data in the field of policing and criminal law. First and foremost, it aims to protect personal data transferred between the EU and the United States. The initialling of the agreement represents great progress after over four years of negotiations.

The American delegation was made up of representatives from the "Department of Justice", the "Department of State" and the "Department of Homeland Security". Alongside the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the EU, the European delegation comprised representatives from the European Commission, the General Secretariat of the Council and the future Dutch Presidency. Representatives from Eurojust, Europol, the European External Action Service, Frontex and EU-LISA were also present.