Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002415/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Kim Van Sparrentak (Verts/ALE), Brando Benifei (S&D), Svenja Hahn (Renew), Birgit Sippel (S&D), Leila Chaibi (The Left), Maria Walsh (PPE), Markéta Gregorová (Verts/ALE), Pernando Barrena Arza (The Left), Tineke Strik (Verts/ALE), Sophie Wilmès (Renew), Sebastian Everding (The Left), Jan-Christoph Oetjen (Renew), Klára Dobrev (S&D), Kai Tegethoff (Verts/ALE), Fabienne Keller (Renew), Alessandro Zan (S&D), Nela Riehl (Verts/ALE), Saskia Bricmont (Verts/ALE), Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle (Renew), Damian Boeselager (Verts/ALE), Evin Incir (S&D), Anna Strolenberg (Verts/ALE), Olivier Chastel (Renew), Reinier Van Lanschot (Verts/ALE), Dainius Žalimas (Renew), Thomas Waitz (Verts/ALE), Daniel Freund (Verts/ALE), Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Verts/ALE), Marc Angel (S&D), Rasmus Nordqvist (Verts/ALE), Villy Søvndal (Verts/ALE), Hanna Gedin (The Left), Rasmus Andresen (Verts/ALE), Özlem Demirel (The Left), Jaume Asens Llodrà (Verts/ALE), Catarina Vieira (Verts/ALE), Alexandra Geese (Verts/ALE), Maria Ohisalo (Verts/ALE), Rudi Kennes (The Left), Lena Schilling (Verts/ALE), Mounir Satouri (Verts/ALE), Benoit Cassart (Renew), Mélissa Camara (Verts/ALE), Alice Kuhnke (Verts/ALE), Elio Di Rupo (S&D), Sara Matthieu (Verts/ALE), Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus (S&D), Gordan Bosanac (Verts/ALE), Petras Auštrevičius (Renew), Katrin Langensiepen (Verts/ALE), Anja Hazekamp (The Left), David Cormand (Verts/ALE), Per Clausen (The Left), Murielle Laurent (S&D), Benedetta Scuderi (Verts/ALE), Lucia Yar (Renew), Marco Tarquinio (S&D), Majdouline Sbai (Verts/ALE), Diana Riba i Giner (Verts/ALE), Elisabeth Grossmann (S&D)
Recent reports suggest that a new Hungarian law may allow the use of facial recognition technology to identify individuals participating in public demonstrations banned by the government[1].
- 1.Can the Commission assess whether such use complies with the Artificial Intelligence Act’s prohibition on real-time biometric identification[2], applying all legal safeguards and criteria, and confirm that post-remote identification cannot be used to bypass Article 5, which has already entered into force[3]?
- 2.Does the use of remote biometric identification in this situation bring additional risks to the fundamental rights and freedoms in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, such as freedom of assembly and association, as enshrined in Article 12 of the Charter?
- 3.If the national authorities responsible for oversight are unable or unwilling to act ‘independently, impartially and without bias’, as required by the Artificial Intelligence Act[4], will the Commission commit to taking action – including infringement proceedings if needed – to ensure that Hungarian citizens are effectively protected under the Artificial Intelligence Act and the Charter of Fundamental Rights?
Submitted: 16.6.2025
- [1] Spike, J., ‘Hungary’s new anti-LGBTQ+ law bans Pride events and sparks protests’, Associated Press, 19 March 2025, https://apnews.com/article/hungary-pride-ban-orban-lgbtq-rights-e7a0318b09b902abfc306e3e975b52df.
- [2] Article 5(1), point (c) and Article 5(2) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence and amending Regulations (EC) No 300/2008, (EU) No 167/2013, (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2019/2144 and Directives 2014/90/EU, (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Artificial Intelligence Act) (OJ L, 2024/1689, 12.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/oj).
- [3] Article 26(10) of the Artificial Intelligence Act.
- [4] As required by Article 70 of the Artificial Intelligence Act.