Frontex Perspectives on Biometrics for Border Checks

: The European Union is developing new concepts for border management. Biometrics is seen is a key technology to facilitate more secure and convenient border management. Biometric information in the form of the facial image is already stored in the electronic passports, and from 2009 fingerprints will also be stored. Also from 2009, biometrics will be introduced in the Visa Information System (VIS). The VIS will store facial images and fingerprints of all visa applicants and a check against the stored data will be performed at the border crossing. The use of biometrics makes the concept of automated border crossing feasible. Frontex has studied such systems and found them to perform well. There are, however, several design issues that need to be addressed to make the systems more user friendly. 1 Background The European Union (EU) has a combined population close to 500 million and about a third of the global GDP. The Union has gradually developed along the lines of the fundamental idea...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2008
• Where: BIOSIG
• Authors: Erik Berglund, Rasa Karbauskaite
• Keywords: Biometrics, BIOSIG 2008, Border Crossing, Border Management