Nécessité et Proportionalité

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.
 

Avis sur l'initiative de 15 Etats membres en vue de l'adoption de la décision du Conseil relative à l'approfondissement de la coopération transfrontière, notamment en vue de lutter contre le terrorisme et la criminalité transfrontière, JO C 169, 21.07.2007, p. 2

The EDPS presented his opinion on the initiative of 15 Member States to make the Treaty of Prüm applicable throughout the EU. The initiative aims to step up cross-border cooperation, particularly for combating terrorism and cross-border crime. The initiative deals with the exchange of biometric data (DNA and fingerprints) and requires member states to set up DNA databases.

Although data protection plays an important role in this Treaty, the provisions on data protection in this initiative are meant as specific ones, on top of a general framework for data protection, which has still not been adopted. Such a framework is needed to give the citizen enough protection, since this decision will make it much easier to exchange DNA and fingerprint data.

Since the Prüm Treaty has already entered into force in three member states, the 15 Member States that took the initiative intend to limit substantial modifications.. Therefore, the EDPS' suggestions mainly serve to improve the text without modifying the system of information exchange itself.

Avis sur la proposition de règlement du Conseil relatif à la compétence, la loi applicable, la reconnaisance et l'exécution des décisions et la coopération en matière d'obligations alimentaires (COM (2005)649 final), JO C 242, 7.10.2006, p. 20

Avis sur la proposition de décision-cadre relative à la protection des données à caractère personnel traitées dans le cadre de la coopération policière et judiciaire en matière pénale (COM (2005)475 final), JO C 47 du 25.02.2006, p. 27

Avis sur la proposition de directive du Parlement européen et du Conseil sur la conservation des données traitées dans le cadre de la fourniture de services de communications électroniques accessibles au public, et modifiant la directive 2002/58/CE (COM (2005)438 final), JO C 298 du 29.11.2005, p. 1