PURPOSE: to authorise Malta, Cyprus and Estonia to continue to receive and supply personal data for the purpose of automated searching of vehicle registration data (VRD).

NON LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/943 on the automated data exchange with regard to vehicle registration data in Malta, Cyprus and Estonia, and replacing Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU.

CONTENT: through this Council Implementing Decision, Malta, Cyprus and Estonia remain authorised to continue to receive and supply personal data for the purpose of automated searching of vehicle registration data.

To recall, Council Decision 2008/615/JAI on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime, provides that the supply of personal data may not take place until the Member States involved in such supply have implemented in national law the general provisions on data protection set out in that Decision.

The overall evaluation reports , summarising the results of the questionnaire, the evaluation visit and the pilot run concerning vehicle registration data in each of these Member States, have been presented to the Council.

On the basis of these evaluation reports, Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU authorised Malta, Cyprus and Estonia to receive and supply personal data for the purposes of the automated searching of vehicle registration data.

In its judgment of 22 September 2016, the Court of Justice of the European Union annulled the above-mentioned Decisions on the grounds that there were vitiated by procedural defects.

With a view to ensuring the legal certainty of the receipt and supply of personal data with regard to the Member States concerned, this Decision replaces the Decisions annulled by the Court . The Member States that obtained personal data pursuant to these Decisions these entitled to further process those data at national level or between Member States.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 3.6.2017. From that date, Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU cease to have effect.

The European Parliament adopted by 599 votes to 75, with 22 abstentions, following the consultation procedure, a legislative resolution on the draft Council implementing decision on the automated data exchange with regard to vehicle registration data in Malta, Cyprus and Estonia, and replacing Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU.

The Council consulted Parliament pursuant to Article 39(1) of the Treaty on European Union, as amended by the Treaty of Amsterdam, and Article 9 of Protocol No 36 on transitional provisions.

In line with its Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Parliament approved the Council draft.

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted, in line with the consultation procedure, the report by Maria GRAPINI (S&D, RO) on the draft Council implementing decision on the automated data exchange with regard to vehicle registration data in Malta, Cyprus and Estonia, and replacing Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU.

The committee recommended the European Parliament to approve the Council draft.

The proposed Council implementing Decision seeks, for the purpose of automated searching of vehicle registration data (VRD), to authorise Malta, Cyprus and Estonia to continue to be entitled to receive and supply personal data pursuant to Decision 2008/615/JHA on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime.

PURPOSE: to entitle Malta, Cyprus and Estonia to continue to receive and supply personal data for the purpose of automated searching of vehicle registration data (VRD).

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: Council Decision 2008/615/JHA on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime , confers upon the Council implementing powers with a view to adopting measures necessary to implement that Decision, in particular as regards the receipt and supply of personal data provided for under that Decision.

The supply of personal data provided for under that Decision may not take place until the general provisions on data protection 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 with respect to automated data exchange has been met is to be done on the basis of an evaluation report based on: (i) a questionnaire; (ii) an evaluation visit and a pilot run.

The overall evaluation reports, summarising the results of the questionnaire, the evaluation visit and the pilot run concerning vehicle registration data in Malta, Cyprus and Estonia, have been presented to the Council.

On the basis of these evaluation reports, Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU authorised Malta, Cyprus and Estonia to receive and supply personal data for the purposes of the automated searching of vehicle registration data.

This Decision replaces Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU which were annulled by the Court of Justice of the European Union by its judgement of 22 September 2016. In that judgement, the Court maintained the effects of Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU until the entry into force of new acts intended to replace them. With a view to ensuring the legal certainty of the receipt and supply of personal data with regard to the Member States concerned, those Decisions should be replaced by this Decision.

CONTENT: the proposed Council implementing Decision seeks, for the purpose of automated searching of vehicle registration data (VRD), to authorise Malta, Cyprus and Estonia to continue to be entitled to receive and supply personal data pursuant to Decision 2008/615/JHA.

Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU cease to produce effects as from the date of entry into force of this Decision, without prejudice to the validity of automated data exchange carried out pursuant to those Decisions by the Member States.

Member States which obtained personal data pursuant to these Decisions shall continue to be entitled to further process those data at national level or between Member States for the purposes laid down in Decision 2008/615/JHA.

The United Kingdom and Ireland shall participate in the adoption of the proposed Decision.

PURPOSE: to entitle Malta, Cyprus and Estonia to continue to receive and supply personal data for the purpose of automated searching of vehicle registration data (VRD).

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: Council Decision 2008/615/JHA on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime , confers upon the Council implementing powers with a view to adopting measures necessary to implement that Decision, in particular as regards the receipt and supply of personal data provided for under that Decision.

The supply of personal data provided for under that Decision may not take place until the general provisions on data protection 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 with respect to automated data exchange has been met is to be done on the basis of an evaluation report based on: (i) a questionnaire; (ii) an evaluation visit and a pilot run.

The overall evaluation reports, summarising the results of the questionnaire, the evaluation visit and the pilot run concerning vehicle registration data in Malta, Cyprus and Estonia, have been presented to the Council.

On the basis of these evaluation reports, Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU authorised Malta, Cyprus and Estonia to receive and supply personal data for the purposes of the automated searching of vehicle registration data.

This Decision replaces Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU which were annulled by the Court of Justice of the European Union by its judgement of 22 September 2016. In that judgement, the Court maintained the effects of Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU until the entry into force of new acts intended to replace them. With a view to ensuring the legal certainty of the receipt and supply of personal data with regard to the Member States concerned, those Decisions should be replaced by this Decision.

CONTENT: the proposed Council implementing Decision seeks, for the purpose of automated searching of vehicle registration data (VRD), to authorise Malta, Cyprus and Estonia to continue to be entitled to receive and supply personal data pursuant to Decision 2008/615/JHA.

Decisions 2014/731/EU, 2014/743/EU and 2014/744/EU cease to produce effects as from the date of entry into force of this Decision, without prejudice to the validity of automated data exchange carried out pursuant to those Decisions by the Member States.

Member States which obtained personal data pursuant to these Decisions shall continue to be entitled to further process those data at national level or between Member States for the purposes laid down in Decision 2008/615/JHA.

The United Kingdom and Ireland shall participate in the adoption of the proposed Decision.