Judgment of the Court (Fourth Chamber) of 17 October 2013 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Verwaltungsgericht Gelsenkirchen (Germany)) — Michael Schwarz v Stadt Bochum

(Case C-291/12) (1)

(Reference for a preliminary ruling - Area of freedom, security and justice - Biometric passport - Fingerprints - Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 - Article 1(2) - Validity - Legal basis - Procedure for adopting - Articles 7 and 8 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union - Right to respect for private life - Right to the protection of personal data - Proportionality)

2013/C 367/29

Language of the case: German

Referring court

Verwaltungsgericht Gelsenkirchen

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicant: Michael Schwarz

Defendant: Stadt Bochum

Re:

Request for a preliminary ruling — Verwaltungsgericht Gelsenkirchen — Validity of Article 1(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 of 13 December 2004 on standards for security features and biometrics in passports and travel documents issued by Member States (OJ 2004 L 385, p. 1), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 444/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 May 2009 (OJ 2009 L 142, p. 1), as amended (OJ 2009 L 188, p. 127), in the light of Article 8 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Article 8 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms — Right of a person to be issued with a passport without his fingerprints being taken

Operative part of the judgment

Examination of the question referred has revealed nothing capable of affecting the validity of Article 1(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 of 13 December 2004 on standards for security features and biometrics in passports and travel documents issued by Member States, as amended by Regulation (EC) No 444/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 May 2009.

(1)  OJ C 273, 8.9.2012.