L’objectif de la coopération policière et judiciaire en matière pénale est de garantir un niveau élevé de sécurité pour les personnes dans l’UE en prévenant la criminalité et en luttant contre celle-ci.
La coopération intervient entre les forces de police nationales et les autorités judiciaires nationales, avec l’aide d’agences de l’UE telles qu’Eurojust, Europol et le réseau judiciaire européen le cas échéant. Cette coopération implique la collecte et l’échange d’informations sur les personnes.
Avis sur l'initiative de la République française en vue de l'adoption d'une décision du Conseil sur l'emploi de l'informatique dans le domaine des douanes, JO C 229, 23.09.2009, p. 12
Given his current role as the supervisory authority for the central part of the First Pillar part of the CIS, the EDPS is particularly interested in the Initiative and the new developments in the Council relating to its content.The EDPS emphasises the need for ensuring a coherent and comprehensive approach to align the First and Third Pillar parts of the system.
The EDPS notes that the Proposal involves various aspects relating to fundamental rights, in particular the protection of personal data as well as the right to information and other data subject's rights.
The EDPS is particularly interested in the new developments concerning the Third Pillar part of the CIS, given that he already exercises supervisory tasks over the central part of the First Pillar part, in accordance with the new Regulation 766/2008 amending Council Regulation 515/97 on mutual assistance between administrative authorities of the Member States and cooperation (...) to ensure the correct application of the law on customs and agricultural matters.
Avis sur la communication de la Commission intitulée "Vers une stratégie européenne en matière d'e-Justice", JO C 128, 06.06.2009, p. 13
The Communication aims to propose an e-Justice Strategy that intends to increase citizens' confidence in the European area of Justice. E-Justice's primary objective should be to help justice to be administered more effectively throughout Europe, for the benefit of the citizens. The EU's action should enable citizens to access information without being hindered by the linguistic, cultural and legal barriers stemming from the multiplicity of systems. A draft action plan and timetable for the various projects are annexed to the Communication.
E-Justice has a very wide-ranging scope, including in general the use of ICT in the administration of justice within the European Union. This covers a number of issues like projects providing litigants with information in a more effective way. This includes online information on judicial systems, legislation and case law, electronic communication systems linking litigants and the courts and the establishment of fully electronic procedures. It covers also European projects like the use of electronic tools to record hearings and projects involving information exchange or interconnection.
The EDPS supports the present proposal to establish e-Justice and recommends taking into account the observations made in his opinion, which includes:
Taking into account the recent Framework decision on the protection of personal data in the field of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters - including its shortcomings - not only when implementing the measures envisaged in the Communication, but also with a view to starting as soon as possible the reflections on further improvements of the legal framework for data protection in law enforcement;
Including administrative procedures in e-Justice. As part of this new element, e-Justice projects should be initiated to enhance the visibility of data protection rules as well as national data protection authorities, in particular in relation to the kinds of data processed in the framework of e-Justice projects;
Maintaining a preference for decentralized architectures;
Ensuring that the interconnection and interoperability of systems duly takes into account the purpose limitation principle;
Allocating clear responsibilities to all actors processing personal data within the envisaged systems and providing mechanisms of effective coordination between data protection authorities;
Ensuring that processing of personal data for purposes other than those for which they were collected should respect the specific conditions laid down by the applicable data protection legislation;
Clearly defining and circumscribing the use of automatic translations, so as to favour mutual understanding of criminal offences without affecting the quality of the information transmitted;
Clarifying Commission responsibility for common infrastructures, such as the s-TESTA;
With regard to the use of new technologies, ensuring that data protection issues are taken into account at the earliest possible stage ("privacy-by-design") as well as fostering technology tools allowing citizens to be in better control of their personal data even when they move between different Member States.
Avis sur le Livre vert de la Commission intitulé "Exécution effective des décisions judiciaires dans l'Union européenne: la transparence du patrimoine des débiteurs" - COM(2008) 128 final, JO C 20, 27.01.2009, p 1
On the 22 September, the EDPS adopted an Opinion on the Commission Green paper on the Effective Enforcement of Judgements in the European Union: the Transparency of Debtors' Assets. The Green paper focuses on possible measures at EU level that can be adopted with a view to improve the transparency of the debtor's assets and the right of creditors to obtain information with a view to effectively enforce their rights whilst respecting the principles for the protection of debtor's privacy pursuant to the provisions of Directive 95/46. The Green paper analyzes in detail the current situation as well as a broad range of possible options to reach these objectives.
The EDPS opinion is mainly aimed at providing guidance with regard to data protection issues that may arise in possible legislative initiatives stemming from this Green paper and complements the public consultation launched by the Commission in March. In particular, the EDPS welcomes the Green paper and the broad consultation to which it has been submitted and recommends that:
Possible legislative actions stemming from the Green paper should ensure that the processing of personal data carried out by the whole range of enforcement authorities is clearly based on at least one of the legal grounds laid down by Article 7 of Directive 95/46/EC, and in particular its letter c) and/or e);
The proportionality principle is duly taken into account not only with regard to the data elements to be disclosed by the debtors, but also with regard to other aspects such as the period of time during which the data are stored and disclosed, the entities having access to data, and the modalities of disclosure;
Any measures on transparency of debtors' assets respect the purpose limitation principle and that any necessary exception would comply with the conditions laid down by Article 13 of Directive 95/46;
Aspects concerning the provision of information to the debtors, the rights of data subjects, and the security of processing are duly taken into account.
The EDPS will remain available to provide informal comments on draft proposals arising from this Green paper and expects to be consulted on any adopted legislative proposals pursuant to Article 28(2) of Regulation 45/2001.
Le rapport annuel présente les éléments les plus significatifs des activités du CEPD en 2007. Il révèle l'accroissement notable du nombre de contrôles préalables des opérations de traitement des données personnelles dans les institutions et organes européens. Dans son rôle de conseiller sur les nouvelles propositions législatives européennes ayant un impact sur la protection des données, le CEPD a publié 12 avis. L'année 2007 a été celle de la signature du traité de Lisbonne qui prévoit une amélioration de la protection des données personnelles, et dont l'impact sera suivi de près par le CEPD.
