Automation of Data Exchange Processes – Security Architectures in the EU

For the second time, the German Federal Criminal Police Office is leading an EU pilot project that aims to enable cross-border queries of police files. This could affect not only police suspects but also their associates or victims. The Federal Ministry of the Interior has been pursuing the project since the German EU Presidency in 2007.

With the German EU Presidency soon to end, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) is one step closer to its goal of networking police forces in EU member states in a new information system. Within the framework of a „European Police Record Index System“ (EPRIS), the police in all participating states are to be able to query registers on persons against whom criminal investigations are on file. With such a system, it could be determined whether data exists in the police databases of another state.

Since February, the BKA has been leading an EU project that is testing the use of this EPRIS for the second time within a year. The police from France, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Hungary as well as Europol are involved. Partners from the private sector are the German consulting company PD and the Berlin Fraunhofer Institute FOKUS. „Query on Suspicion: German EU Council Presidency wants Criminal Records Index“ weiterlesen

The introduction of a European Police Records Information System has been under discussion for years. Authorities could use it to query police files in other countries. Through the back door, a EU-wide „troublemaker database“ could become reality.

The European Union is continuing to examine the crossborder networking of police files in the Member States. This was written by the German Ministry of the Interior in response to a parlamentarian inquiry. It would allow investigating authorities to query whether information about suspects or defendants is available at a foreign police station. Such a system exists so far only for convictions and has recently been extended. „EU tests crossborder querying of police files“ weiterlesen