On Monday, President Alar Karis signed into law the amendment to the Police and Border Guard Act, which regulates the use of ANPR cameras in the PPA's work.

Roger Kumm, head of the PPA's Prevention and Criminal Proceedings Bureau, said, since the spring, the agency has conducted internal service reviews and concluded what could be done differently.

"But of course, we were waiting for the legislative amendment, because it provides clearer guidelines on how the cameras may be used, on what grounds data may be collected and processed," he told Wednesday morning's "Terevisioon".

The Data Protection Inspectorate also gave its recommendations to the PPA. "We have now implemented those, developed a corresponding database, reviewed the entire process, and we are essentially ready for the moment the law takes effect," Kumm said.

The PPA will be ready to resume the use of cameras once the law comes into force, which will be 10 days after its publication in the State Gazette, he told the show.

President Karis stressed that this does not constitute approval of how ANPR cameras have been used up to now.

Kumm said practices have already been changed in response, such as requiring a risk assessment before installing cameras.

"That process has been reviewed; previously, there may not have been a clear understanding of when threats need to be reassessed. We have now defined a maximum time limit, but of course, that does not mean the maximum must be used. As the spirit of the law dictates, threats must be assessed continuously. In other words, the reason for installing the camera must remain valid— it cannot be that it was only important at the moment of installation."

In addition, the PPA has clarified both internal oversight and procedural processes.

"If a police officer wants to check a license plate in the course of a criminal investigation, they must clearly indicate this in the database and enter the specific criminal case number. This means it is clearly traceable on what grounds the data was processed," Kumm explained.

The new law also includes several clarifications. For example, data collected may now be retained for up to six weeks. "At the same time, we are also required to conduct a data protection audit once a year to analyze the entire process."

Kumm gave an example: if an ANPR camera is installed at a major intersection on the way out of Tallinn to monitor for car theft risks, and the number of car thefts in the area subsequently decreases, then the cameras must be shut down and removed.

He noted that while the use of cameras was also previously justified internally within the agency, it lacked regular review.

"Often, a camera would be installed in response to a problem, the threat would be described in detail, but no reassessment followed. The camera remained in operation. That is definitely not in line with what the law stipulates."

In addition to the Police and Border Guard Board and security agencies, the Tax and Customs Board also has access to ANPR camera data.

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