French airports consider reusing Parafe e-gates for EES

French airports are hoping to use their existing e-gates to avoid long queues of travelers registering for the European Entry-Exit System (EES) border scheme. The Union of French Airports (UAF) has announced it is attempting to adapt the facial recognition-based Parafe e-gates to link with the EES.

The Parafe (Automated Fast Track Crossing at External Borders) system has been present at French airports since 2009 and serves passengers holding biometric passports, including those from certain third countries. The e-gates are also available at Eurostar and Eurotunnel terminals. The technology is provided by Thales’ Digital Identity and Security (DIS).

Currently, it is unknown when passengers will be able to use the Parafe e-gates to complete EES registration, UAF general delegate Nicolas Paulissen told Connexion France.

Questions remain on whether the e-gates will be able to recognize foreign nationals living in the Schengen area, for example by scanning their residency card. Legal and technical work is underway to make this possible, including smoothing out regulatory hurdles with privacy watchdog CNIL and the French Council of State, according to UAF.

Meanwhile, EES pre-registration kiosks have already been installed and tested at the country’s larger airports.

EU pushing France, Germany and Netherlands to declare EES readiness

The border registration system is expected to be gradually introduced starting from August this year. France has yet to decide which border crossing will start operating the EES first.

The country has also yet to send its declaration of readiness for the EES. Aside from France, the EU is currently waiting for confirmation from two more countries, Germany and the Netherlands. Last year, European authorities decided to delay the EES rollout partly because the three countries did not declare their readiness to go ahead.

Negotiations on the start date of the EES between the European Council, Parliament and Commission are expected to be concluded before the summer, European Parliament Member Assita Kanko told Connexion in March.

“It is not acceptable to lose more time,” says Kanko. “Security for citizens is a priority. For passengers and airlines it is also more comfortable when things work better.”

Article Topics

ABC gates  |  airports  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  Entry/Exit System (EES)  |  France