European Citizens’ Initiative: Commission decides to register an initiative for ‘a ban on biometric mass surveillance practices’

Today, the European Commission decided to register a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘Civil society initiative for a ban on biometric mass surveillance practices’. The organisers of the ECI urge the Commission to propose a legal act to permanently end indiscriminate and arbitrarily-targeted uses of biometric data in ways which can lead to mass surveillance or any undue interference with fundamental rights.

The Commission considers that the ECI is legally admissible, as it meets the necessary conditions, and therefore decided to register it. The Commission has not analysed the substance of the ECI at this stage.

Next Steps

Following today’s registration of the ECI, the organisers can start, within the next 6 months, the process of collection of signatures of support. Should the ECI receive 1 million statements of support within 1 year from at least 7 different Member States, the Commission will have to react within 6 months. The Commission could decide either to follow the request, or not, and in both instances would be required to explain its reasoning.