The EU has endorsed a deal allowing Australian authorities to keep the personal information of passengers flying between Europe and Australia for five-and-a-half years.
Australian officials will be able to store data such as names, credit card numbers, phone numbers and addresses as part of efforts to fight crime and terrorism under the deal backed by EU interior ministers on Thursday.
The agreement is expected to be signed by the end of September, the 27-nation EU said in a statement. It must then be approved by the European Parliament.
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