The Conseil d’Etat Finds the Use of Facial Recognition by Law Enforcement Agencies to Support Criminal Investigations “Strictly Necessary” and Proportional
Résumé
In this case the French supreme Administrative Court (Conseil d’Etat) was seized by a French NGO called ‘La Quadrature du Net’. The NGO asked the Court to overturn the French Prime Minister’s implicit decision to refuse to repeal some provisions of Article R 40-26 of the French Code of Criminal Procedures which enable the use of Facial Recognition by Law enforcement authorities to support criminal investigations. The Court dismissed this claim, arguing that these provisions are strictly necessary and proportionate to the aim pursued and thus compliant with the law enforcement directive.