Airlines must start transmitting passenger data - including travel document data, flight details and baggage information - to authorities before passengers arrive at the European Union's (EU) external borders.

In this way, according to a Council statement, prior controls and an assessment of potential security risks can take place, with easier border controls and ensuring that the necessary measures to protect the EU's external borders are taken in advance.

The new regulation, which comes into force 20 days after publication in the EU Official Journal, replaces the 2004 directive on advance information about air passengers.

According to data from Brussels, in 2019, more than 500 million air passengers entered or left the EU.

As air travel is increasingly used by criminals and terrorists, ensuring timely access to passenger data is crucial to maintaining security, said the EU Council in the same statement.