The Interior Ministry confirmed a corresponding media report on Wednesday. The ministry has therefore sent a draft law for review. “Better surveillance and strict controls help in the fight once morest extremism, terrorism and also once morest burglars,” said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner.
Constitutional Court overturned the law in 2019
The 2019 license plate registration provided for the automatic collection and storage of data to identify vehicles and vehicle drivers. However, the Constitutional Court saw this as a serious and disproportionate interference with the confidentiality interests in accordance with the Data Protection Act and the human right to respect for private life. The law was repealed.
According to the media report, the new law no longer provides for data to be stored, but rather for immediate evaluation. The license plate recognition devices automatically compare the search data with passing vehicles or their license plates. This makes it possible to determine whether a vehicle is wanted or whether there is other information regarding this vehicle. But nothing is saved.
More search powers
Another change should give the police more search powers. The security authority can currently issue search warrants for certain major events under certain conditions. The new law is intended to expand controls, for example in the event of threats of attacks on tourist attractions. Furthermore, lawyers, notaries and defense lawyers in criminal cases will in future be able to access files from the state police headquarters digitally, it said.
