Advanced Passenger Information (API) data is information in our travel documents (e.g. number of travel document, name, date of birth). Air carriers collect this during check-in and complement it with travel route information. API data usually contains information to confirm the identity of passengers.

On 13 December 2022, The European Commission published proposals for new Regulations to strengthen the use of advanced passenger information. The revision aims to:

• Set a clear list of API requirements to be collected by air carriers to harmonise data collection;
• Cover all air travellers on all flights (including business and charter flights);
• Improve the accuracy and completeness of data collected, as air carriers will have to collect data by automated means only.This will make analysis more efficient and reliable;
• Streamline transmission of API data by air carriers to national authorities through a new central router.

These improvements aim to speed up border controls at airports and make sure that the flow of passengers moves smoothly, while at the same time keeping a high level of security and ensuring that checks can be carried out properly on every passenger.

Please find here the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the collection and transfer of advance passenger information (API) for enhancing and facilitating external border controls and the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the collection and transfer of advance passenger information (API) for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime.