Spain Introduced the Passenger Name Record (PNR) on Friday November 27. 2020

Please note that the PNR came into effect in Spain last Friday November 27. 2020.

Extract from the Spanish government website.The Ministry of Home Affairs, through the

National Passenger Information Office for air travel (Spanish acronym: ONIP), incorporated in the structure of the Counter-terrorism and Organised Crime Intelligence Centre (Spanish acronym: CITCO), has introduced the Passenger Name Record (PNR)

“Accordingly, the process which began in 2016 with the approval of a directive from the European Commission that obliged Member States to begin the corresponding internal regulatory formalities has now culminated, which aims to create an essential instrument to fight terrorism and organised crime.

Hence, the PNR system has been functioning since last Friday, following approval in September of the Constitutional Law on the Use of Data from the Passenger Name Record, to prevent, detect, investigate and try terrorist crimes and serious criminal offences.

In its first day of operation, the ONIP checked a total of 165 flights (97 arrivals and 68 departures), which carried 7,802 passengers and crew.

The treatment of the data from the Passenger Name Record by the ONIP will help guarantee “the protection of life and citizen security, which constitutes the main aim of the European Union’s area of freedom, security and justice”, as set out in the preamble of the Constitutional Law regulation its functioning.

The Constitutional Law also specifies that “the treatment of PNR data will help improve the response to the threat of terrorism and serious crime by cross-checking such data with available and pertinent data bases”.

Non official translation

Please note: The information provided is based upon our understanding of current legislation. It is not legal advice but is provided freely to enable you to be properly informed. We recommend that if you are considering taking action, you should seek professional advice.