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EU intensifies fight against crime and terrorism by authorising police access to fingerprint data
The European Commission has adopted a package of measures aimed at authorising law enforcement authorities to consult the EURODAC database for the purpose of fighting terrorism and serious crime, such as trafficking in human beings and in drug
The measures also aim at integrating the suggestions of the European Parliament and the Council on the EURODAC Regulation for making the EURODAC database more efficient.
Vice-President Barrot, Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security, stated: "Problems relating to cross-border law enforcement cooperation cannot be effectively dealt with at a national level or on the basis of bilateral arrangements between Member States. Only coordinated action at an EU level can ensure such cooperation. The absence of the possibility for European law enforcement authorities to access EURODAC to combat terrorism is a shortcoming that the Commission is facing with this important proposal. This improvement in the fight against terrorism and criminality will go hand to hand with the protection of fundamental rights, including the protection of personal data".
The measures proposed by the Commission regulate the procedure in which law enforcement authorities can consult the EURODAC database and the conditions under which such request can be made. At the same time, the measures provide a series of guarantees aimed at ensuring the protection of the personal data of the persons concerned and in safeguarding the right to asylum.
It was found that, even though the law enforcement authorities of many Member States have access to their national databases which contain the data of applicants for international protection, it is very difficult and burdensome for them to exchange such information among them. Despite the fact that several instruments exist at EU level which facilitate the exchange of information between Member States of fingerprints required, the new proposal will avoid multiple cooperation requests, by identifying directly at EU level the Member States which holds the fingerprints in question. Comparison of fingerprints can then take place between the requesting Member States and the Member States in possession of the file.
The EURODAC database contains the fingerprints of applicants for international protection and of those third country nationals who crossed the border of one of the Member States irregularly. It has been created and, until today, been used for the purposes of the asylum policy of the Union.
