Decision (EU) 2019/394 on the signing of the Protocol to the Agreement between the European Union, Iceland and Norway regarding access to Eurodac for law enforcement purposes

Summary:

Council Decision of 7 March 2019 on the signing of a Protocol to the 2001 Agreement between the European Union, Iceland and Norway concerning the criteria and mechanisms for establishing the state responsible for examining a request for asylum lodged in a Member State or in Iceland or Norway.

Further information:

In May 2014 Denmark, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland confirmed their interest in entering into negotiations with the European Union to extend the law enforcement provisions of Regulation (EU) No 603/2013 to them via an international agreement.

Negotiations with Iceland and Norway were opened in December 2015 and a Protocol to the 2001 Agreement was initialled on 21 December 2017. The objective of the Protocol is to establish legally binding rights and obligations to ensure the effective participation of Iceland and Norway in the law enforcement elements of Regulation (EU) No 603/2013.

Background:

Regulation (EU) No 603/2013 concerning the establishment of Eurodac for the comparison of fingerprints for the effective application of the Dublin Convention was adopted and entered into force on 19 July 2013. The Regulation allows, inter alia, for the consultation of Eurodac by law enforcement authorities for the purpose of prevention, detection and investigation of terrorist offences and other serious criminal offences.

Iceland and Norway already apply the asylum elements of Regulation (EU) No 603/2013 in line with the 2001 Agreement. However, the law enforcement access to Eurodac falls outside the scope of the said Agreement.

• Primary Source

EUR-Lex: COM(2018)827: Proposal for a Decision on the signing of a Protocol to the Agreement between the European Union, Iceland and Norway regarding access to Eurodac for law enforcement purposes https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2018:827:FIN

EUR-Lex: COM(2018)826: Proposal for a Decision on the conclusion of a Protocol to the Agreement between the European Union, Iceland and Norway regarding access to Eurodac for law enforcement purposes https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2018:826:FIN

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