President Klaus Iohannis promulgated on Wednesday the law ratifying the Agreement between the Government of Romania and the Government of the United States on cooperation in the use of travel intelligence.

According to the Government, the Agreement is necessary in the context of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States of America and „reflects the will to respond to regional and global challenges and threats and has a major contribution to the democratic progress, increased prosperity and security of their citizens.”

„To achieve this goal, it is necessary to continue to create an appropriate and sustainable legal framework to facilitate the exchange of information. Thus, during consultations with the US, the proposal was outlined for the implementation by the Romanian authorities of the ATS-G (Automated Targeting System – Global) software, as a means of preventing and combating cross-border crime and other threats to border security, including terrorism. In order to implement the ATS-G, it is necessary to conclude an agreement regulating the exchange and use of travel information,” reads the explanatory memorandum.

Thus, by concluding the agreement, it is possible to implement „in the shortest possible time” the ATS-G software, which offers Romania an advanced tool to identify and track known or suspected cross-border criminals, obtain information about organised crime networks, and detect potential threats to national security.

The authorities in charge with the implementation of the agreement are, on the Romanian side, the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs through the General Inspectorate of Border Police/National Passenger Information Unit (IGPF/UNIP) and – on the US side, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

AGERPRES