The Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting ended with an agreement on the general approach on a draft directive on the use of flight passenger data for protection against terrorist offences and serious crime, the so-called EU PNR system. In addition, Ministers approved an action paper intended to ensure a coherent EU response to continued migratory pressures.

Home affairs ministers reached a general approach regarding the establishment of a EU PNR system, a directive on the use of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime. They also adopted without discussion a decision on the conclusion of a new EU-US PNR agreement, which was previously adopted by the European Parliament in last plenary session.

The proposed directive is aimed, according to the Council, to set up a coherent EU-wide system on flight passenger data, by creating a single EU model for all Member States participating in the new rules and ensuring cooperation between the relevant authorities within the Union. As a consequence, all air carriers flying on routes covered by the new rules would need to provide PNR data to Member States' law enforcement authorities. These authorities will, however, only be allowed to use the data - which is already today collected by air carriers - for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious (transnational) crime.

With regard to migration and mobility, on one hand, the Council approved an action paper entitled "EU Action on migratory pressure - A strategic response". The goal of the paper is to set out a list of actions in strategic priority areas where efforts need to be stepped up and monitored in order to prevent and control existing pressures that derive from illegal immigration as well as abuse of legal migration routes. On the other hand, Ministers discussed draft conclusions on the Global Approach to Migration and Mobility which are expected to be adopted by the General Affairs Council in May 2012.