Brussels, 23/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - Representatives of the national bodies responsible for ensuring the protection of personal data, who met within the "Article 29 group", express concern about several "counter-terrorist" measures adopted or in gestation. Over coming weeks, the group plans to present an assessment of the consequences of the information flow managed by the Schengen and Dublin systems, Eurodac, Europol, etc., it was stated on Wednesday by its president, Peter Schaar. The analysis also covers the use of biometric data, which, Peter Schaar states, should be available only on passports and not on a central European database.
The group also decided to send the Commission and the president of the Council a letter expressing concern about the initiative launched by France, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Sweden to make the storage of telecom traffic data compulsory in the context of counter-terrorist measures.
The group is expected to begin reflection with the Commission and Council on the consequences of Articles II-7 and II-8 of the Constitution on data protection, Peter Schaar said.