lawsuitFiled
Court of Justice of the EU (Bulgarian referral, C-205/21) v. Bulgarian Ministry of Interior / National Police
January 26, 2023 · Bulgaria
CJEU Grand Chamber (C-205/21) ruled EU law precludes Bulgarian legislation mandating systematic collection of biometric and genetic data (fingerprints, photographs for facial identification, DNA) from every person accused of an intentional offence without an assessment of strict necessity.
Key takeaway — how to prevent this
Biometric data (faces, iris, fingerprints) needs an explicit lawful basis or consent. Scraping or capturing it without one is unlawful across the EU/UK and many US states (e.g. Illinois BIPA) — and draws the largest fines.
Inclusion does not imply wrongdoing or liability. A filed lawsuit is an allegation, not a court finding. Status reflects the latest information we have — always check the official source for current status.