The report also shows that strengthening trust and security in data sharing facilitates cross-border cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism.
The European Commission has today published its report on the implementation and operation of the Directive on the protection of personal data in the context of law enforcement.
The report notes that the directive ensures a harmonized and high level of protection of the rights of persons involved in criminal proceedings and provides a coherent legal framework for the processing of data by law enforcement and judicial authorities. It also shows that strengthening trust and security in data sharing facilitates cross-border cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism.
THE Commissioner for Justice Mr. Didier Reyders said about it: “Today’s report confirms that the Law Enforcement Data Protection Directive is a cornerstone of EU security policy. Not only does it ensure adequate protection of the personal data of victims, witnesses and suspects of crimes acts, but also promotes cooperation between national law enforcement agencies. I urge Member States that have not yet transposed the directive into national law to do so as soon as possible so that citizens enjoy a higher level of protection.”
The report notes that, in general, the rules have been transposed satisfactorily, but some problems remain (eg insufficient resources for some data protection authorities), which has led to the initiation of infringement proceedings. The report also includes a list of measures taken by the Commission, Member States and data protection supervisory authorities to fully exploit the potential of the Directive. These measures include completing the full and correct transposition of the Directive, providing national data protection supervisory authorities with the necessary powers and sufficient resources, as well as issuing additional guidance on the interpretation of the Directive by the European Data Protection Commission. The Commission’s next report on the implementation of this instrument is scheduled for 2026.
Nikos Andritsos
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