EU asylum policy
EURODAC proposals would mean asylum seekers treated like criminals and terrorists
The European Commission today proposed changes to EURODAC, the European database on asylum seekers, to allow national law enforcement authorities - like the police - to access an EU databank with fingerprints. The Greens criticised the proposals and the manner in which they were presented, with Green home affairs spokesperson Ska Keller stating:
"These proposals effectively amount to treating asylum seekers like criminals or terrorists, for whom similar provisions apply. It is cynical of the Commission to present these proposals as measures to strengthen the EU asylum system. Strengthening EU asylum policy would imply developing common European quality standards for asylum processes. These proposals are simply about giving national authorities easier access to a fingerprint database."
Green home affairs spokesperson Jan Philipp Albrecht added:
"The use of fingerprints in the EURODAC system was solely intended for the purpose of identifying asylum seekers. Giving police and other national authorities access to this database for the purpose of criminal proceedings is explicitly against this purpose and the Greens will oppose this in the European Parliament."
