lawsuitFiled
Court of Justice of the EU (Bulgarian referral, C-118/22) v. Director of National Police, Bulgarian Ministry of Interior
January 30, 2024 · Bulgaria
CJEU Grand Chamber (C-118/22) ruled EU law precludes the Bulgarian police practice of storing biometric and genetic data of persons convicted of intentional offences indefinitely, without periodic review of necessity or a right to erasure.
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.