Concern is mounting in Europe over America's Automated Targeting System (ATS) which screens all travellers arriving or leaving the US.
The EU has sent a letter to the US authorities asking them to clarify how the information collected on EU citizens scheme will be used.
At the same time, the organisation representing European business and leisure travel agents, ECTAA/GEBTA, has written to the US Homeland Security director Michael Chertoff register their “strong opposition” to ATS.
Paragon Europe, an umbrella body for organisations representing travel managers in nine countries across the continent, has also written to Mr Chertoff expressing "deep concern" about ATS.
ATS was set up by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and operated by the Custom and Border Protection (CBP) authority.
It screens all data travellers are required to provide for the DHS and gives them a "risk assessment."
The scheme allows the DHS to decide if a "passenger or crew member should receive additional screening prior to entry into or departure from the country because the traveller may pose a greater risk for violation of US law."
ATS allows the US authorities to retain information for 40 years and there is no appeal against information that may be inaccurate.
The three organisations join several more US and Canadian bodies, including ACTE and the NBTA, and others from the UK and the Netherlands in expressing concern.
Some have called for the suspension of ATS.
It also emerged this week that the agreement signed last year between the EU and the US on the provision of Passenger Name Record (PNR) information could allow the American authorities greater access to personal information than realised.
This includes provision to inspect credit card records, when the card has been used to book a flight, and any messages on the e-mail addresses which customers' have given to airlines.
In the ECTAA/GEBTA letter, Mr. Paulo Piras, president of GEBTA, said: "The ATS may jeopardize the EU-US PNR agreement, which is vital for the travel industry as it provides a clear legal framework for the transfer of PNR data in compliance with EU laws."
In its letter, Paragon Europe states: "Some specifics of the collection, storage and use of data seem not to be in accordance with standard Privacy Acts, e.g. that the information is
available to private parties."
EU justice and home affairs commissioner Franco Frattini said he had asked the US for "formal confirmation that the way European PNR data are handled in the ATS is the one described in the undertakings."
He added: "The information published by the DHS reveals a significant difference between the way in which PNR data are handled within the automated targeting system and a stricter regime for European PNR data according to undertakings."
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