On 6 September 2023, the Commission addressed recommendations to the Council for opening negotiations with Switzerland, Iceland and Norway on concluding agreements on the transfer of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data. Switzerland, Iceland and Norway are non-EU Member States but Contracting Parties to the Schengen Convention. Agreements on the transfer and exchange of PNR data are held necessary in order to ensure internal security within the common area without internal border controls. This becomes also necessary because the three countries are not bound by the EU rules on the exchange of personal data for law enforcement purposes pursuant to Directive 2016/680. Hence, the agreements would include the data protection safeguards required by EU law and they would enable the countries to lawfully receive and process PNR data on flights operated by air carriers between the EU and them. Opening negotiations are in line with the Commission's external PNR policy, which builds on international standards and addresses global security commitments.