Prague Airport halts facial recognition over EU AI rules

Prague’s Václav Havel Airport has suspended its facial recognition system due to new EU regulations on artificial intelligence, which now require explicit court approval for such surveillance tools.

The police announced the suspension on Friday, citing changes to Czech law in line with the EU’s AI Act. Future use of the system must be authorized by the presiding judge of the Prague court.

Currently, Prague Airport is the only location in the Czech Republic where police have deployed facial recognition technology. The software, introduced in 2019, cross-references scanned faces against databases of identity and travel documents. According to police, between its launch and the end of June 2025, the system led to the identification and subsequent detention of 155 individuals subject to arrest warrants, court-ordered detention, or imprisonment.