Belgium to swap criminal data with EU partners

4 April 2005

BRUSSELS – Belgium has signed up to a plan to share criminal records, it emerged on Monday.

Le Soir reported that justice ministers from Belgium, France, Germany and Spain have agreed to swap information about previous convictions with each other.

At a presentation in Paris, the ministers said the project would be up and running by the end of this year, costing Belgium EUR 70,000.

Judicial authorities will have rapid, automatic access to computer information on Belgian, French, German and Spanish residents. Other European countries have also been invited to join.

However, while advocates say the scheme will make crime detection within Europe more efficient, some civil rights campaigners are likely to argue suspects may be too easily extradited from one country to another as a result.

Subject: Belgian news