The EU has found itself between a rock and a hard place: lose the visa-free regime with the US or give American authorities access to Europeans’ biometric data?
Key takeaways:
The EU has until December 31st, 2026, to agree to giving American authorities wide access to Europeans’ biometric and other personal data.
If the bloc refuses to do so, member states will lose the visa-free regime with Washington, allowing citizens to stay in the US for up to 90 days.
A watchdog warned that a draft EU-US agreement violates the bloc’s laws and poses a risk of American agencies targeting Europeans who oppose US policies.
Meanwhile, a watchdog is warning that the proposed changes would enable US authorities to target Europeans for their political views.