Automated data exchange with regard to dactyloscopic data in Greece

PURPOSE: to authorise Greece to receive and supply personal data in respect of fingerprint data (dactyloscopic data).

PROPOSED ACT: Council Implementing Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion.

BACKGROUND: Council Decision 2008/615/JHA on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly with a view to combating terrorism and cross-border crime, gives the Council implementing powers to lay down the measures in particular as regards the reception and supply of personal data provided for in that Decision.

The supply of personal data provided for in Decision 2008/615/JHA may not take place until the general provisions on data protection have been implemented in the national law of the territories of the Member States involved in that decision.

Pursuant to Decision 2008/616/JHA, Greece replied to a questionnaire on data protection and the questionnaire on dactyloscopic data exchange. It conducted a pilot test with Austria, which was conclusive.

On the basis of the evaluation report submitted to the Council, the Council concluded on 19 June 2017 that Greece had fully implemented the general provisions on data protection of Decision 2008/615/JHA.

CONTENT: the draft Council Implementing Decision aims, for the purpose of automated searching of dactyloscopic data, to authorise Greece to receive and supply personal data in accordance with Decision 2008/615/JHA.

Denmark, the United Kingdom and Ireland are participating in the adoption of the proposed decision.