Government proposal on the use of biometric data will enhance prevention of the most serious crimes

The Government proposes amendments to acts governing the use of biometric data stored in the registers of the police and the Finnish Immigration Service. Improving the use of biometric data would particularly support the investigation of the most serious crimes. The Government submitted the proposal to Parliament on 25 September.

Biometric data are personal data that result from technical processing, such as facial images and fingerprints, and allow the unique identification of a person. The amendments would apply to the use of biometric data stored in the passport register and the identity card register of the police, and to the use of the biometric data of foreign nationals stored in the registers of the police and the Finnish Immigration Service.

The Government proposes that biometric data could be used in more extensive ways than at present especially in the investigation of the most serious crimes. The use of the data would be limited to specified serious offences, such as the most serious offences against life, health or liberty, sexual offences, treason and high treason offences, terrorist offences, and certain offences related to sexual abuse of children.

An objective of the Government Programme is to strengthen crime prevention and improve the conditions for using biometrics in law enforcement and crime prevention. The amendments would improve the ability of criminal investigation authorities to identify both suspected offenders and victims of crime. The amendments would also strengthen the possibilities to prevent serious crimes and to intervene in situations that pose a significant danger to someone’s life, health or liberty. 

“The use of biometric data will be strictly regulated. We are talking about serious offences. Society has a strong interest in preventing and investigating these offences due to their severity and also to provide legal protection to victims and uphold the security of society. Our aim is to give the authorities better tools to catch those guilty of serious crimes and to protect Finland and its people,” says Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

In addition, the Government proposes that the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service and the Finnish Defence Forces could obtain data to safeguard national defence and protect national security against activities that pose a serious threat. Data could also be disclosed to the Schengen Information System more extensively than at present.

The use of biometric data is strictly regulated

Fingerprints and other biometric data are sensitive personal data and the provisions on their use must be precisely and clearly formulated. The proposal includes detailed provisions on the conditions and procedures for using biometric data in different situations. The police could use such data only if a person could not be identified using any other information held by the police.

According to the proposal, comparisons of image data would in practice be used more often than fingerprint comparisons. Image and video data have become increasingly important in combating crime in our increasingly digitalised society. For example, images constitute a key part of criminal activity in cases of sexual abuse of children.

Under the government proposal, the Act on the Processing of Personal Data by the Police, the Aliens Act, the Act on the Processing of Personal Data in Immigration Administration and the Police Act would be amended. The proposed acts are scheduled to enter into force as soon as possible.

Inquiries:
Suvi Pato-Oja, Chief Specialist, tel. +358 295 488 379, [email protected]