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Closing speech on Public Security, Privacy and Technology -Franco Frattini, European Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/07/728

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The largest DNA database in the world covering details on about 4.5 million people including information on every person arrested, convicted or not, and on 900 000 children raises questions as inaccuracies and administrative errors have been found in its records.

Incorrect dates, spelling mistakes and duplications have been found by Data Quality and Integrity Team of the DNA database unit. These mistakes can lead to innocent people being accused of crimes and wrongly arrested. Information added to incorrect profiles has also obliged the police to erase affected records.

The DNA Database Unit had also admitted in a report in May 2007 that between 1995 and 2005 it failed to load 26 200 records to the DNA database because

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Two members of the European Parliament (MEPs), rapporteurs on the European huge biometric databases Visa Information System (VIS) and the Schengen Information System II (SIS II), have addressed a public letter to commissioner Frattini asking for effective data protection and data security provisions and thus excluding the copying or storage of sensitive data in mobile formats such as, for instance, diskettes or CD-ROMs.

This letter comes as a reaction to the UK government data protection security problems, after two CDs containing the personal data of 25 million citizens were lost in the post.

The two MEPs - Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP, Liberal Democrat European justice

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In a decision published on 15 November 2007, the French Constitutional council approved the introduction of DNA testing in the new immigration law to prove family links for foreign candidates applying for a more than 3 months visa on family regrouping grounds. However, it has further restricted their use, making two explicit reservations.

The first reservation makes this provision irrelevant when family links with the mother can be proven by any other legal mean under the law of the mother's country. The second reservation forbids any systematic application of DNA testing, since the Council reminds that all other means to prove family links should be used first by French consulates.

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Following an investigation into the online visa application system for UK, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) ruled on 13 November 2007 that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) was in breach of the Data Protection Act, having failed to properly protect visa applications made over the Internet through its UK visas website.

The site is run by FCO together with the Home Office and is outsourced to an Indian company called VFS. The problem was first signalled by a member of the public who alerted VFS being concerned of the fact that he could read details about other applicants. But only this year have VFS and FCO admitted there was a problem after the issue was brought out by a Channel 4 News

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The European Commission (EC) announced on 13 November 2007 that its initial investigation in the deal Google-DoubleClick "indicated that the proposed merger would raise competition concerns in the markets for intermediation and ad serving in online advertising."

Therefore the Commission decided to open an in-depth investigation in this case in order to take a final decision on whether the proposed transaction would significantly impede effective competition within the European market or any substantial part of it.

The Commission also announced that it would investigate "whether without this transaction, DoubleClick would have grown into an effective competitor of Google in the market for online ad intermediation. It will also

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British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had had to apologise to Parliament after two computer discs containing the personal data of 25 million citizens were lost in the post.

The disks contained the database on child benefit - a welfare payment made to the families of all children in Britain. The data include children's and parents' names, addresses and dates of birth, together with parents' national insurance numbers and bank account details. The disks were not encrypted but merely "password protected". Britain's most senior tax official, the head of HM Revenue and Customs, has resigned.

The story has spread to a number of other systems that the government is building to make ever more information on citizens available to ever more

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Privacy International in a coalition with over 50 other organisations from around the world, including EDRI, is in the process of appealing for the imminent implementation of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act by the Japan's Ministry of Justice. The act will make fingerprint and face-scan compulsory for Japan's visitors and foreign residents. The campaign will be launched later this week.

If any organisation wants to endorse this privacy campaign, please contact as soon as possible Gus Hosein - Privacy International - gus at privacy.org.