EUCAP
Definition
European Collection of Automotive Paints, maintained at the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) in Wiesbaden; the European counterpart to PDQ for automotive hit-and-run paint comparison.
- Full name
- European Collection of Automotive Paints
- Maintained by
- BKA (Bundeskriminalamt), Wiesbaden, Germany
- Primary use
- Vehicle identification in hit-and-run cases via paint analysis
- Geographic scope
- European OEM (original equipment manufacturer) paint formulations
Common questions
What is EUCAP used for in forensics?+
EUCAP is a paint database used to identify vehicles involved in hit-and-run collisions by comparing paint chips recovered from scenes. Examiners match the composition and characteristics of evidence paint to the database to narrow down vehicle make and model.
How does EUCAP relate to PDQ?+
EUCAP is the European equivalent of PDQ (the North American paint database). While PDQ covers North American automotive paints, EUCAP focuses on European OEM formulations. ENFSI EPG laboratories use both databases alongside each other in paint comparison casework.
Who maintains EUCAP and where?+
The BKA (Bundeskriminalamt, the German Federal Criminal Police Office) maintains EUCAP in Wiesbaden, Germany. ENFSI EPG laboratories use it as a reference tool alongside PDQ for automotive paint comparison.
Related terms
- BNS 2023 § 106
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 provision criminalising causing death by negligence; the primary charging provision for fatal hit-and-run cases in India, with enhanced...
- PDQ (Paint Data Query)
- RCMP-maintained international automotive paint database. Stores binder, pigment and layer data for vehicle original-equipment finishes from major manufacturers. Used to narrow a...
- ASTM E2927
- Standard test method for the determination of trace elements in glass samples using LA-ICP-MS; specifies the element suite, calibration standards (NIST SRM...
- BKA (Bundeskriminalamt)
- German Federal Criminal Police Office; custodian of EUCAP and primary German forensic laboratory for automotive paint comparison.
- Cold Filament Failure
- Fracture of a tungsten bulb filament below operational temperature; characterised by a clean, brittle transverse fracture with no deformation and no oxide...
- Direct Comparison
- Side-by-side physical and spectroscopic comparison of the questioned chip with a sample from the suspect vehicle; the mandatory final stage in any...
- ENFSI EPG
- Expert Working Group on Paint (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes); produced the European paint-examination protocol and promoted EUCAP development.
- ENFSI FIRM
- Forensic Intelligence and Reporting Model; verbal LR scale from 'inconclusive' through 'limited', 'moderate', 'strong', and 'very strong' support used in European trace-evidence...
- FCIN
- Forensic Collision Investigation Network (UK); provides standardised protocols for fatal and serious-injury collision forensic examination, including paint, glass, tyre and filament examination.
- FSR Codes of Practice
- The Forensic Science Regulator's Codes of Practice and Conduct, made statutory by the Forensic Science Regulator Act 2021, setting mandatory quality standards...
- Hot Filament Failure
- Fracture of a tungsten bulb filament while at operational temperature (2,500-3,000 K); characterised by ductile deformation at the break, coiling, and tungsten...
- LA-ICP-MS
- Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; a technique that fires a laser pulse at a sample surface, vaporises a tiny amount,...
Explained in these topics
- Paint Databases (PDQ, EUCAP) and Comparison CaseworkEuropean Collection of Automotive Paints; maintained at the BKA Wiesbaden, focuses on European OEM formulations; used alongside PDQ by ENFSI EPG laboratories.
- Vehicle Examination: Paint, Glass, Tyre, Headlight FilamentEuropean Collection of Automotive Paints, maintained at the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) in Wiesbaden; the European counterpart to PDQ for automotive hit-and-run pa...