Judgment — ECLI:EU:C:2014:80
Date: 2014-02-13
Language of the case: French
Court formation: Ninth Chamber
Subject matter: Area of freedom, security and justice;Border checks
Procedure: Action for failure to fulfil obligations - successful
Origin: Belgium

Action brought on 19 March 2013 - European Commission v Kingdom of Belgium (Case C-139/13) Language of the case: French Parties Applicant: European Commission (represented by: D. Maidani and G. Wils, acting as Agents) Defendant: Kingdom of Belgium Form of order sought declare that as it did not apply, by 28 June 2009, the time-limit laid down by Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004, the technical specifications for issuing biometric passports containing fingerprints, in accordance with the provisions contained in Commission Decision C(2006) 2909 of 28 June 2006, the Kingdom of Belgium failed to fulfil its obligations under that regulation, order the Kingdom of Belgium to pay the costs. Pleas in law and main arguments In its application, the Commission claims that the Kingdom of Belgium has not adopted the measures necessary to ensure that biometric passports integrating fingerprints are issued within the time-limit laid down by Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004. ____________ 1 - 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)