European Parliament Votes to Expand Eurodac Database

The European Parliament voted on 10 April 2024 to adopt a reformed regulation governing Eurodac, the EU's shared fingerprint database for asylum seekers and irregular migrants. The regulation was approved with 404 votes in favour, 202 against, and 16 abstentions.

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A More Comprehensive Biometric Database

The revised rules extend the scope of Eurodac considerably. Facial images will now be stored alongside fingerprints, providing a more complete biometric profile for each registered individual. The regulation also lowers the age threshold for data collection from 14 to 6 years old. This change is intended to help trace unaccompanied minors who may move between member states and ensure they are not lost in care systems. Data collection from children must be carried out by trained staff in a child-friendly manner.

Additional personal details will now be recorded, including name, surname, nationality, date and place of birth, and information on removal, return, or relocation decisions.

Security Flags and New Migrant Categories

The reformed regulation introduces a security flag mechanism. Authorities will be able to mark individuals in the Eurodac system if there is evidence they present a threat to internal security — specifically if the person is violent or unlawfully armed, has links to terrorism or a terrorist group, or is subject to an offence within the scope of the European Arrest Warrant.

The regulation also expands the categories of people covered. People disembarked in an EU member state following a search and rescue operation at sea will be recorded separately for statistical purposes. Beneficiaries of national and EU resettlement schemes, as well as those under temporary protection, are also brought within the scope of the database.

Interoperability and What Comes Next

Eurodac operates under eu-LISA, the EU agency responsible for large-scale IT systems in justice, home affairs and the area of freedom, security and justice. The database is currently operational in 31 countries: all 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

The revised regulation supports interoperability between Eurodac and other EU justice and home affairs systems, including the Visa Information System (VIS), ETIAS, and the Entry/Exit System (EES). Anonymised cross-referenced statistics will be improved to give policymakers a clearer picture of migration patterns.

The regulation will enter into force twenty days after publication in the EU Official Journal and will start applying two years after that date. The reform forms part of the broader overhaul of EU asylum and migration rules adopted by the Parliament at the same sitting.