Pruem Decisions
The EU Pruem Decisions allow stored individuals' DNA profiles to be routinely searched against stored crime scene DNA profiles in every EU country. When there is a match the police in the relevant country will be informed and information about potential suspects can be exchanged.
The Pruem Treaty was originally adopted by a limited number of EU countries led by Germany. Since the integration of the Treaty into the EU legal framework in June 2008, DNA data exchange in police daily operations has been regulated by Council Decisions 2008/615/JHA and 2008/616/JHA. The technical and forensic requirements are described in Chapter 1 of the Annex to Decision 2008/616/JHA. However, technical standards are still being developed, partly because of the variety of different DNA profiling systems currently used within the EU.
Large numbers of false DNA matches are expected to occur by chance because of the limited overlap betwen the different profiling systems and because of the large number of comparisons that will be made. The largest number of false matches will occur between individuals' DNA profiles stored on the UK database and crime scene DNA profiles stored in other countries, especially in Germany.
Implementation of the Pruem Directive in the UK has been delayed because of this problem and because the UK DNA Database contains the DNA profiles of large numbers of innocent people arrested in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, in contravention of the 2008 judgment by the European Court of Human Rights in the Marper case.
Resources
- Press articles
- BBC: DNA crime-fighting in UK 'lagging behind', experts say (8th February 2013)
- Daily Mail: EU demands access to details of all UK drivers: 'Orwellian' move to hand out personal information to foreign police forces (9th January 2013)
- EGov Monitor: Coalition plans to opt out of 130 EU measures as Euroscepticism rises (16th October 2012)
- New Scientist: DNA super-network increases risk of mix-ups (5th September 2011)
- External links
- Statewatch: "Network with errors": Europe's emerging web of DNA databases
- McCartney, Wilson & Williams (2011): Transnational Exchange of DNA: Acceptability, Viability and Legitimacy
- EU: Council of the European Union: Implementation of Council Decisions 2008/615/JHA and 2008/616/JHA- Implementation guide - DNA data exchange (12th July 2011)
- van der Beek, C.P. (2011) Forensic DNA Profiles Crossing Borders in Europe (Implementation of the Treaty of Pruem).
- StateWatch: Cross-border police cooperation (implementation of Pruem Decision)
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Schneider PM (2009) Expansion of the European Standard Set of DNA Database Loci - the Current Situation
When massive exchanges of DNA profiles are undertaken following the implementation of the Treaty of Pruem, the seven European Standard Set (ESS) loci, required for a match to be reported under the Pruem Directive, will not be sufficient because the chance of adventitious matches will no longer be negligible. In addition, each DNA database contains a significant portion of partial profiles with an even higher probability to match randomly.
- Netherlands Forensic Institute: Exchange of DNA-profiles by the Treaty of Pruem (June 2008)
- Conference: DNA data exchange in Europe (5-6 June 2008)
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Parliamentary statement by Baroness Scotland
The minister reports that the UK agreed to the EU Council decision on Pruem in June 2007 which will provide member states' law enforcement authorities with access to DNA and fingerprint data, on a hit or no hit basis, and direct access to vehicle registration.