Belgrade, June 6, 2023 - The International Conference on Biometric Data and Video Surveillance in Public Spaces, held at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Serbia, made it possible for scientists, activists, and practitioners in Serbia to learn about EU member states practices related to this field. These experts' experiences from the EU significantly contributed to domestic experts' better understanding of the challenges related to the use of cameras for video surveillance and biometric recognition and the application of the Personal Data Protection Law. The Conference is supported by the project " Support for Strengthening Rule of Law in the Republic of Serbia" jointly financed by the EU and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), whereas Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) is responsible for the implementation of project activities related to personal data protection.
The use of cameras for video surveillance and biometric recognition is a particularly important topic within the EU, which is trying to reconcile two opposing sides - the demand for security and the demand for privacy protection. Mr. Milan Marinović, Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection, pointed out more about the issue of biometric data availability and the potential violation of the right to privacy at the opening of the conference:
"We are here today because of an important event organized on a topic that is hectically disseminated in the public and is gaining more and more importance, with the development of technology, digitalization, and the advancement of artificial intelligence." We have organized this Conference concerning the processing of biometric data and, in particular, the modern form of video surveillance in public spaces aiming to protect citizens' rights, first of all, those rights protected by the Commissioner, meaning the protection of privacy and personal data.; In the Republic of Serbia, this type of technology is not yet in use and has not been resolved by law, but in many countries, it is, which is why the experiences of experts from EU countries that we will hear today are particularly valuable to us, for we will be able to use them when we design our policy and laws.
H.E. Anke Konrad, ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Serbia, also addressed the conference participants, pointing out that video surveillance and the way it should be used is an important topic in the public sector, not only for Serbia but also for the EU.
"We cover two contradictory things with this topic. On the one hand, our citizens want to be protected and safe, and on the other hand, they want their data to be protected and not misused," Konrad pointed out, adding in her opening remark that fundamental rights, democracy, and the rule of law are the foundation of the EU, and the EU Charter on the fundamental rights in its Article 8 guarantees the right to personal data protection. "Such data must be processed fairly and for specific purposes only and based on the consent of the person concerned or some other legitimate basis established by law," Konrad concluded.
Plamena Halacheva, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation, greeted the timely debate on an important challenge of the modern world - finding a balance between technological progress, public safety, and the promotion of fundamental rights, including the right to privacy. Praising the consultation with the civil sector on the Draft Law on Internal Affairs, she pointed to the need to assess the proportionality and necessity of the proposed video surveillance system in public spaces and data processing of personality software for facial recognition. She further emphasized the importance of the Law on Personal Data Protection before the adoption of new regulations and as well that the provisions of all other laws that regulate or affect personal data processing should be harmonized with the framework law.
Milica Bondžić, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, as well as Vladimir N. Cvetković, dean of the Faculty of Security at the University of Belgrade, shared their observations with those present.
Differences in approach to this topic also exist among EU member states, and experts from Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Estonia, and Poland presented their experiences and ways of solving problems at the Conference and their presentations will be published in the Collected Proceedings.
