Interior minister proposes pan-European network of DNA and fingerprint databases: Knowledge Driven Revolution

At an informal meeting of European Union ministers of justice and ministers of the interior in Dresden on Monday the Federal Minister of the Interior Wolfgang Schäuble proposed within the context of what is known as the Trio Presidency of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers that the Prüm Treaty be transposed into the legal framework of the EU. The treaty, which was signed by Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria and Spain in the town of Prüm in Germany in March 2006 provides for enhanced cross-border cooperation of the police and judicial authorities, especially with regard to combating terrorism, cross-border crime and illegal migration. The purpose of the treaty is not only to facilitate prosecution, but also to aid the crime prevention efforts of the authorities.

"The core element of the treaty is the creation of a network of national databases to step up the exchange of information," it says in a press release by the ministry. "The contracting parties give one another access to their DNA analysis files and dactyloscopic (fingerprint) files in what is called a hit/no hit system," the ministry observes. In Germany the treaty came into force in November of last year. Germany and Austria are acting as trailblazers; thus since early December 2006 Austria and Germany have been able to mutually compare the contents of their national DNA databases. This had already led to a number of successes, the minister declared. "In just six weeks, when German untraceables were checked against the Austrian database, 1500 matches were found, and when Austrian untraceables were checked against the German database, 1400 matches resulted," the ministry writes.

Pointing to this "added value provided by the treaty" Mr. Schäuble spoke out in favor of adopting the system throughout Europe: "Our aim is to create a modern police information network for more effective crime control throughout Europe," he said. Apart from allowing for cross-border police raids and patrols the treaty permits "the authorities to exchange information on traveling violent offenders, such as hooligans, in the context of major events (for example football matches, European Council meetings or other international summits) in order to prevent criminal acts."

Mr. Schäuble declared that his proposal had met with "broad approval" at the meeting. He believes that a future network of DNA databases involving all EU member states would have enormous potential. It would open up "a vast ocean of opportunities for gaining relevant information and preventing crime," he said by way of praising the project. His ideas have also met with the approval of Franco Frattini, the EU Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security, who has agreed to submit an appropriate proposal to the EU Commission.

Of all the EU member states it has been the United Kingdom, which operates Europe's largest DNA database, which has been the most outspoken critic of the project. An attitude in which it has been joined by Poland, Ireland and the Czech Republic. Though it needs to be said that these members' skepticism of the project is based primarily on cost-benefit considerations.

Mr. Schäuble meanwhile is apparently prepared to step where others fear to tread. Germany could open up its police DNA databases to the United States, the minister has said. This appears to have been a request made by representatives of the US Department of Homeland Security at a meeting with the minister in September of last year, at which meeting more intense monitoring of the Internet was also agreed upon.

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