Press Release: The availability principle: EDPS wants the exchange of police information to be introduced more cautiously

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) on 1 March 2006 issued an Opinion on the proposal for a Framework Decision on the exchange of information under the principle of availability. Introduced by the Hague program, the principle of availability means that information that is available to law enforcement authorities in one Member State should also be made accessible for equivalent authorities in other Member States. The principle raised a number of data protection issues, notably because of the sensitivity of the data and the reduced control of the use of the information.

European Commission: PreLex: COM(2005) 490, Proposal for a Council Framework Decision on the exchange of information under the principle of availability, 12.10.2005 http://ec.europa.eu/prelex/detail_dossier.cfm?CL=en&ReqId=0&DocType=COM&DocYear=2005&DocNum=0490

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