| Series Title | European Voice |
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| Series Details | Vol.11, No.35, 6.10.05 |
| Publication Date | 06/10/2005 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 06/10/05 Intelligence on suspected criminals held by one EU country would be available to law-enforcement authorities in other member states if a new European Commission plan comes into effect. Franco Frattini, the commissioner for justice, freedom and security, is to outline his proposal on applying the "principle of availability" of information to police and judicial co-operation when he meets justice and interior ministers next week (12-13 October). A source close to Frattini said the aim of the initiative was to smooth paths towards the mutual exchange of information "as far as we can". As well as ensuring that police and judicial officers across all member states have access to information, the authorities would also have to respect each other's restrictions on processing data. The plan follows on from the EU-wide standards on data protection presented by Frattini on Tuesday (4 October). It advocates that personal data should only be handed over to countries outside the Union and international bodies if their privacy rules are deemed sufficiently robust. Frattini said he was seeking a "balanced approach" between the right to be protected from crimes, including terrorism, and the right to privacy. But Tony Bunyan, editor of civil liberties journal Statewatch, said that data protection was being rendered "meaningless" by EU policymakers. While proposals have referred to the need to respect a 1981 Council of Europe convention on data protection, some states have derogated from key clauses in it, he noted. The UK, for example, had decided against provisions requiring it not to profile individuals based on their race, ethnicity or religious beliefs. Preview of the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting on 12-13 October in Luxembourg, where the European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security was planning to outline his proposal of 4 October 2004 for a Council Framework Decision on the protection of personal data processed in the framework of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. This was aimed at improving the mutual exchange of information between European police and judiciary authorities while respecting different national rules on data processing. |
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| Source Link | http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Subject Categories | Internal Markets, Justice and Home Affairs, Security and Defence, Values and Beliefs |
| Countries / Regions | Europe |
