Motion for a resolution | Doc. 11748 | 10 October 2008

Identity documents and databases

Signatories: Lord Tim BOSWELL, United Kingdom, EDG ; Mr Konstantinos AIVALIOTIS, Greece, EDG ; Mr Mevlüt ÇAVUŞOĞLU, Turkey, EDG ; Mr Nigel EVANS, United Kingdom ; Mr John GREENWAY, United Kingdom ; Mr Davit HARUTYUNYAN, Armenia, EDG ; Mr Tomáš JIRSA, Czech Republic, EDG ; Mr Øyvind VAKSDAL, Norway ; Mr David WILSHIRE, United Kingdom, EDG ; Ms Karin S. WOLDSETH, Norway

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

Noting the right of member states to require their citizens and nationals to carry identity documents and recognising the importance of effective and co-ordinated measures to combat the growing threat of extremism and terrorism; noting that not all member states currently require citizens to carry identity cards and that some are planning to;

We urge the Assembly to prepare a code of conduct for introducing identity documents based on the following criteria:

• all obligations imposed on citizens must be appropriate and proportionate;
• all obligations imposed on citizens must be in line with the European Convention on Human Rights and the values of the Council of Europe;
• all obligations should be imposed equally on all citizens;
• all obligations should involve citizens in the minimum amount of personal expense;
• data should not be communicated to a third party;
• data should be destroyed when its requirement lapses;
• all national systems should maintain strict security over stored data;
• communications between databases should only take place in strictly controlled circumstances;
• implementation should be cost-effective;
• all member states should consult with its citizens fully and base its decision on popular opinion;
• all citizens should be given the right to know what information about them is being held on a national database.