EC launches public awareness campaign for Europe’s biometric border system

The European Commission has launched a campaign to make sure travellers are aware of the biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) which begins operation on October 12.

“Soon, travelling to Europe will be easier,” says a promotional video from EU Home Affairs. The official EES website also offers basic information about the program for consumers. The information campaign also includes infographics on the automated self-service system and border check process, four-page leaflets explaining what data is collected and in what countries, as well as privacy considerations and exemptions, posters and materials to support social media posts.

Under EES, people arriving at 29 European countries for short stays will register their fingerprints and face biometrics with the system. It will take six months for the system to reach full operation.

An article in the Washington Post introduces the EES to an American audience. The report notes a comment from a security professional that Europe has strong privacy protections, and adds that they are “even more stringent than the ones in the States.” Since the U.S. does not have a comprehensive federal privacy law, the comparison suggests that some observers are not equipped with the context to understand basics facts about EES.

A representative of France’s Ministry of the Interior has acknowledged that the initial implementation will be modest, and it will increase wait times at border crossings. The country will eventually deploy biometric enrollment systems to 120 border crossings.

Eurotunnel and Eurostar are ready for the system’s launch, after installing hundreds of biometric kiosks between them.

How ready travellers will be remains to be seen.

Article Topics

airport biometrics  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  Entry/Exit System (EES)  |  Europe  |  European Commission