The European Commission is to refer Bulgaria to the Court of Justice of the EU over document security. Bulgaria, the Commission explains in a statement, has not set up a Single Point of Contact, as it is required to do under EU legislation in the form of several implementing decisions of the Commission. These Single Points of Contact aim to allow an exchange of information between the member states and are compulsory. They were supposed to have been up and running in May 2012.
These exchanges are "necessary to access the fingerprint images stored on e-passports and e-residence permits for third country nationals. The exchange of certificates through Single Points of Contact prevents unauthorised reading of the biometric features stored digitally in the documents and ensures that member states can securely access information on the chips contained in all biometric passports, travel documents and residence permits issued by other member states", the statement explains.
However, as Bulgaria has failed to implement this important plank of EU legislation on document security, it is preventing the other member states from securely accessing and verifying the fingerprints stored on the chips on Bulgarian passports.
The Commission sent a letter of formal notice to the Bulgarian authorities in January 2014, which was followed by a reasoned opinion in April 2015. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)