AI Act Recital 39 EN
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Recital 39 — biometric data processing compliance requirements

Biometric Data Types of Special Categories of Personal Data Personal Data Identification Unacceptable Risk AI Systems Prohibited AI Practices Supervision
In force — consolidated2026-07-27 · CELEX 02024R1689-20260727 · ELI ↗
Version history 2
  • 2026-07-27in force CELEX 02024R1689-20260727
  • 2024-07-12 CELEX 02024R1689-20240712

Any processing of biometric data and other personal data involved in the use of AI systems for biometric identification, other than in connection to the use of real-time remote biometric identification systems in publicly accessible spaces for the purpose of law enforcement as regulated by this Regulation, should continue to comply with all requirements resulting from Article 10 of Directive (EU) 2016/680. For purposes other than law enforcement, Article 9(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and Article 10(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 prohibit the processing of biometric data subject to limited exceptions as provided in those Articles. In the application of Article 9(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the use of remote biometric identification for purposes other than law enforcement has already been subject to prohibition decisions by national data protection authorities.

Related across sources

Opinion 5/2021 EDPB-EDPS Joint Opinion 5/2021 on the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (Artificial Intelligence Act) 1 Adopted EDPB - EDPS Joint Opinion 5 /2021 on the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down harmo nised rules on artificial i… Opinion Jun 18, 2021 Identification Biometric Data Accountability
Guidelines 05/2022 use of facial recognition technology in the area of law enforcement Guidelines ·EDPB May 17, 2023 Biometric Data Supervision Identification
C-169/23 Nemzeti Adatvédelmi és Információszabadság Hatóság v UC In Case C-169/23, the Court of Justice of the European Union (Third Chamber) ruled on a preliminary reference from the Kúria (Hungary) concerning whether the Budapest Metropolitan… CJEU ·Third Chamber Nov 28, 2024 Personal Data Legitimate Interest Supervision
C-60/22 UZ v Bundesrepublik Deutschland In Case C-60/22, the CJEU (Fifth Chamber) ruled on a preliminary reference from the Verwaltungsgericht Wiesbaden concerning UZ, a third-country national, and the Bundesrepublik… CJEU ·Fifth Chamber May 4, 2023 Right to Restriction Right to be Forgotten Personal Data
C‑371/24 Comdribus In 2020, law enforcement officers arrested several people from a climate protest One of the individuals detained (the data subject) provided their identity, but refused to be fingerprinted and photographed, as well as to provide the code to their phone (or… C‑371/24 - Comdribus ·CJEU Mar 19, 2026 Personal Data Identification Types of Special Categories of Personal Data
C-446/12 W. P. Willems and Others v Burgemeester van Nuth and Others In Joined Cases C-446/12 to C-449/12, the Court of Justice of the European Union (Fourth Chamber) ruled on a preliminary reference from the Dutch Raad van State regarding whether… CJEU ·Fourth Chamber Apr 16, 2015 Biometric Data Identification Types of Special Categories of Personal Data