The Police and Criminal Justice Authorities Directive: Data protection standards and impact on the legal framework

This article presents a two-sided analysis of the recently adopted Police and Criminal Justice Authorities Directive. First, it examines the impact of the Directive on the current legal framework and considers to what extent it is capable of overcoming existing obstacles to a consistent and comprehensive data protection scheme in the area of police and criminal justice. Second, it delivers a brief outline and review of the provisions of the Directive itself and explores whether the instrument improves upon the current legislation and sets out adequate data protection rules and standards. Analyzing the Directive from these angles, this article finds that while a considerable improvement and major step forward for the protection of personal data in its field, the Directive is unlikely to mend the fragmented legal framework and achieve the intended high level of data protection standards consistent across European Union member states.