PURPOSE: launch of automated data exchange with regard to Vehicle Registration Data (VRD) in Latvia.
PROPOSED ACT: Council Implementing Decision.
ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT : the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion.
BACKGROUND: with regard to Council Decision 2008/615/JHA on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime, the supply of personal data provided for under that Decision may not take place until the general provisions on data protection set out in that Decision have been implemented in the national law of the territories of the Member States involved in such supply.
Council Decision 2008/616/JHA provides that the verification that the condition has been met with respect to automated data exchange in accordance with Decision 2008/615/JHA is to be done on the basis of an evaluation report based on a questionnaire, an evaluation visit and a pilot run.
Latvia has completed the questionnaire on data protection and the questionnaire on Vehicle Registration Data (VRD) exchange. It carried out a successful pilot run with the Netherlands. An evaluation visit has taken place in Latvia.
On the basis of an overall evaluation report, the Council concluded on 8 October 2015 that Latvia had fully implemented the general provisions on data protection set out in Chapter 6 of Decision 2008/615/JHA.
CONTENT: the proposed Council Implementing Decision aims to authorise Latvia to receive and supply personal data pursuant to Decision 2008/615/JHA from the date of entry into force of the Decision with respect to automated data exchange regarding Vehicle Registration Data.
Denmark and Ireland are taking part in the adoption and application of the proposed Decision. The United Kingdom is not bound by it or subject to its application.