The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) has completed a first inspection of the central unit of EURODAC, but the complete results of the report have not been made public, arguing sensitivity of the information.
EURODAC is a community-wide information technology system for the comparison of the fingerprints of asylum seekers, which was adopted on 11 December 2000 and started operations on 15 January 2003. The system was created to allow the Member States to identify Non-EU citizens who had already filed an asylum application in another Member State.
EURODAC Central unit is responsible for the operation of a computerised central database for comparing fingerprints, an automated fingerprint identification system and a secure communications system for data transmission from and towards the Member States.
The EDPS is the competent authority monitoring the activities of EURODAC to ensure that the rights of the subjects are not violated by data processing or use of the data held by the Central Unit.
The EDPS expressed the general satisfaction with the security level within the Central Unit, stating also that some recommendations had been made to EURODAC. While affirming that EDPS intends to share its findings during a meeting in June in order to enhance collaboration at the national level, the press release also states that: “Because of the sensitivity of some information in the report, it is not publicly available”.
According to Tony Bunyan, Statewatch editor, this creates “a very bad precedent” that could be extended to VIS (Visa Information System) or other such type of databases. He considers that the report should be at least “"partially accessible" with any "sensitive information" deleted”.
EDPS generally satisfied with security in EURODAC central unit – press
release (9.03.2006)
http://www.edps.eu.int/Press/EDPS-2006-3-EN_EURODAC.pdf
Statewatch News online (03.2006)
http://www.statewatch.org/news/
Eurodac a European Union-wide electronic system for the identification of
asylum-seekers (11.2005)
http://europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/fsj/asylum/identification/fsj_a...