European Commission: Home Affairs

EURODAC is a biometric database for comparing fingerprints, which helps EU States to verify whether an asylum applicant has previously claimed asylum in another EU State, or whether an asylum applicant has been previously apprehended when entering EU territory unlawfully. It aims to make it easier for EU States to determine responsibility for examining an asylum application and facilitates the application of the "Dublin" Regulation.

How does EURODAC work?

EURODAC consists of a Central Unit within the European Commission, equipped with a computerised central database for comparing fingerprints, and a system for electronic data transmission between EU States and the central database. On the basis of the EURODAC Regulation, EU States take and transmit the fingerprints of every non-EU national or stateless person above the age of 14 who asks for asylum in their territory, or who is apprehended for crossing their external border unauthorised. States may also take and transmit the fingerprints of non-EU nationals or stateless persons found staying on their territory without permission so as to verify whether they have previously lodged an asylum claim in another EU State.

Once the data have been transmitted to the Central Unit, it compares them with existing data. The comparison produces a "hit" when fingerprints match prints already stored in the database. Such a hit signals that the person in question has already lodged an asylum claim in an EU State or indicates through which EU State he/she crossed the external border. By facilitating the identification of third country nationals, the system has proved to be a useful tool for establishing, on the one hand, the EU State responsible for the assessment of an asylum claim, and on the other hand, for tackling the "asylum shopping" phenomenon.

Data storage

The Regulation establishing EURODAC lays down strictly defined and harmonised rules for all EU States in relation to the storage, comparison and erasure of fingerprints. Data are collected for persons who are 14 years of age or older. In the case of asylum applicants, data are kept for 10 years unless the individual obtains the citizenship of one of the EU States, in which case the data must be immediately erased. Data relating to foreign nationals apprehended in connection with an the unauthorised crossing of an external border are kept for two years and must be immediately erased if the foreign national receives a residence permit, leaves the Union’s territory or obtains citizenship of an EU State.

Protection of personal data

EU States must ensure that the taking of fingerprints and all operations involving the processing, transmission, conservation or deletion of the data are carried out lawfully. The Commission must see to the proper application of the Regulation by the Central Unit. It also informs the European Parliament and the Council of the measures it takes to ensure the security thereof. EU States’ data processing activities are monitored by national supervisory bodies, while those of the Commission are monitored by the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS). The Directive on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data applies.

States applying EURODAC

All EU States, as well as Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein apply the EURODAC Regulation.