US wants EU members to give access to travelers’ biometric data by 2027

The U.S. authorities continue to push for access to EU member states’ biometric databases to conduct traveler screening as part of its visa-free travel regime.

The U.S. wants all countries participating in the U.S. Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) to sign the Enhanced Border Security Partnership (EBSP) agreement by 2027, according to a document circulated by the Belgian Council Presidency in June and published by the non-governmental organization Statewatch last week.

Alongside the International Biometric Information Sharing Program (IBIS), EBSP is designed to gain access to national biometric databases to authenticate travelers’ identities. The EBSP would require direct connections between the biometric databases of participating states and the U.S.’ IDENT/HART system.

Almost all EU member states are covered by the U.S. Visa Waiver Programme. The proposed transfer of biometric data, however, is not covered by any existing EU-U.S. agreement.

In the document, the Belgian Presidency suggests that a new international treaty may be needed for the transfers. At the same time, EU lawmakers are also questioning whether the data exchange would be possible under EU legislation.

The document, which is addressed to the Permanent Representatives Committee, provides an overview of the last two years of discussions on the EBSP proposals. It also mentioned that the European Commission has been working on a  “proof of concept” exercise for information sharing with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The EU, however, has denied Statewatch’s request for more information on the proof of concept on the grounds of public security.

A January report from Statewatch, citing EU documents, showed that U.S. negotiations on EBSP have stalled, with confusion arising amongst some European Union countries as to what exactly the U.S. is proposing and whether negotiations should be conducted by member states or the EU itself. The newest document suggests that the EU and its member states are still in the dark about the U.S.’ intentions.

“Despite attempts over the last two years to gain insight into the situation, including interventions by the Council Legal Service and the Commission during IXIM-meetings on different aspects, no further concrete steps were identified,” the document states.

UK commissioners: International collaboration on biometrics ‘essential’

The UK is one of the countries that have not signed an EBSP agreement with the US. Instead, the UK Home Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have implemented the Secure Real-Time Platform (SRTP) with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) which allows automatic checks of anonymized fingerprints against each other’s immigration fingerprint databases.

The country, however, is looking towards other biometric data exchanges. Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Brian Plastow and the UK Home Office Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner Tony Eastaugh believe that international collaboration on biometric technologies is “absolutely essential.”

“Different systems and rules across countries make collaborative efforts complex,” says Eastaugh says. “Brexit has added another layer of complexity, as the UK and EU may start to diverge in their approaches. Despite these challenges, international cooperation and a collegiate approach to sharing intelligence and information are vital.

The EU is hoping to launch its biometrics-based Entry-Exit System (EES) on November 10, 2024, while the UK has introduced its Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) scheme and plans to make visas fully digital by 2025.

The duo spoke to the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement (IDGA) ahead of the Biometrics for Government and Law Enforcement Summit, held in Washington D.C. on December 10th and 11th.

In the future, the UK plans to boost its biometric capabilities in policing not just with fingerprints, facial recognition and DNA but also advanced methods such as with odor, gait and speech cadence recognition. But to get there, public concerns will need to be addressed, says Plastow.

“Building trust regarding the use of biometrics in law enforcement starts with ensuring transparency and compliance with human rights,” he adds.

Article Topics

biometric identifiers  |  biometrics  |  Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner  |  criminal ID  |  EU  |  International Biometric Information Sharing (IBIS)  |  Scottish Biometrics Commissioner  |  United States