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EU: European Commission proposes "entry-exit" system

01 February 2008

Communication (pdf)

The Commission is proposing that the entry and exit of all visa-holders will be recorded automatically - these visa-holders have to give their finger-prints and be vetted before getting a visa in their country of origin. However, non-visa entrants (eg: from the EU's "white list" countries like the USA) will also have to be fingerprinted and cleared - EU's "white" and "black" visa lists (pdf).

Hidden inside the Communication is a reference to "Automated Border Control systems" which could apply to EU citizens as well as visitors:

"The introduction of Automated Border Control systems can enable the automated verification of travellers’ identity without the intervention of border guards. A machine reads the biometric data contained in the travel documents or stored in a system or database and compares them against the biometrics of the traveller, accelerating border checks by creating automated separate lanes replacing the traditional control booths."

Experiments are taking place along the above lines where a person enters a closed box, is automatically checked and cleared or not cleared - if a person is not cleared a side door opens and they are taken away for questioning.

The Communication proposes the issuing of "tokens" to EU citizens who do not have biometric passports (ie: those who have not had their fingerprints taken) subject to vetting as the full "roll-out" of EU biometric passports will not be complete until 2016.

Also proposed is the adopted of "common vetting criteria" across the EU.

These developments need to be seen alongside the introduction of biometric passports and travel documents across the EU requiring the taking of everyone fingerprints, see: EU governments blackmail European Parliament into quick adoption of its report on biometric passports and EU: "biometric passports" We will not just have to be finger-printed once but over and over again and the Commission's proposed introduction of an EU-PNR (Passenger Name Record) covering everyone (citizens and visitors) leaving and entering the EU: See Statewatch's Observatory on EU-PNR (link)