The Sectoral Committee for the Federal Authorities within Belgium’s Privacy Commission on Thursday authorized the police to consult the database of the Vehicle Registration Department, DIV, so that it can match flashed license plates to the vehicles’ owners, the Commission reported.
On December 13, the Court of Cassation had declared that fines imposed by the police based solely on license numbers, without questioning the drivers, were illegal. The Court stated that in doing so, the police violated the privacy of the drivers. The police then requested an authorization from the Privacy Commission, which used an emergency procedure to handle the request.
“Based on its analysis, the Sectoral Committee authorizes the release of data of a personal nature from the DIV to the police service, with due respect for the applicable legal provisions and regulations, and within the limits of the latter,” the Commission stated.
The Committee will now inform the Police Information Control Organ so that the police can start using the database.
Lars Anderssen (Source:Belga)
