Fingerprint biometrics on ID cards legally invalid, but EU top court declines change

The European Union’s top court has ruled that governments that mandate handing over fingerprint biometrics for identity cards are not breaking European privacy laws. They are, however, doing it illegally.

In its ruling, published on Thursday, the European Court of Justice explains that the mandatory insertion of fingerprint data in ID cards is compatible with fundamental privacy rights. The court also argues that obtaining biometrics is justified because of the need to combat identity theft and to ensure the …

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