The Justice and Home Affairs Council reached an agreement today on the accreditation of forensic science laboratories.

“The decision means that we will be setting a common quality standard for forensic laboratories in the EU. This will strengthen the legal certainty of information regarding DNA profiles and fingerprints that are exchanged between Member States to, for example, be used as evidence in criminal proceedings," says Minister for Justice Beatrice Ask.

In June 2009, Sweden and Spain presented a draft framework decision on the accreditation of forensic service providers carrying out laboratory activities. The aim of the decision is to ensure that DNA and fingerprint evidence that is exchanged between law enforcement agencies in different Member States maintains high, even standards. 

The agreement means that all forensic science laboratories in the EU will be accredited by the relevant national accreditation bodies as meeting an international standard for DNA profiles and fingerprints. The standard requires that work is carried out correctly, equipment is tested, staff have the necessary skills and the entire organisation follows clear routines. Accreditation makes it possible to subsequently trace how an object or test has been handled from the moment it arrived at a laboratory to the moment a result is achieved. In concrete terms, this means that the risk of evidence being mixed up, tests being contaminated or experts drawing erroneous conclusions is reduced.

Once the framework decision enters into force, it is to be implemented within four years for activities related to DNA profiles, and within six years for fingerprint-related activities.