Data Protection Conference 2009

What does it mean today „in accordance with law, necessary, proportionate, and appropriate in a democratic society”?

The law enforcement perspective

Kurt Hager

Federal Ministry of the Interior

Austria

kurt.hager@bmi.gv.at

Why data exchange?

• 11 March 2004 Madrid – 191 killed, 7 July 2005 London – 52 killed

• 2.440.000 victims of THB (ILO Action against trafficking in human beings 2008)

• 16,5 Millions of opium users in 2008 (UNODC World Drug Report 2008)

What is necessary?

• Mutual access to national databases

• Consistent use of existing EU databases and data for police purposes

• Further development of existing EU databases

• Creation of new centralized databases

What is proportionate?

New

2006-2008

Criminals Aliens Asylum Stains False

Identity

2006:

6.796 658 1.052 1.479 8 286

2007:

8.897 844 2.107 1.798 17 314

2008:

11.421 1.112 1.513 2.244 22 274

What is appropriate?

• Osama Bin Laden

• not on the secure web page „Check the net“?

• EUROPOL – EUROJUST

• no new cooperation agreement?

What do we not need?

• One data protection legal framework for agriculture, transport, health, culture, and justice and home affairs

• Initiatives without operational added value, practical feasibility, and technical solutions

• Political power games between EP, COM, and Council neglecting the security of EU citizens

What do we need?

• From the principle of availability to the European Information Network

• 6 principles for careful handling of personal data1) „Transparency, except…“2) „Select before you collect“3) „If necessary for security, you must share“4) Ensure integrity of data, systems and actions by

users5) Ensure information and facilitation;6) Ensure compliance and internal supervision