Physical traits plan for security features

Date: 10/07/03

By Dana Spinant

FOREIGNERS entering the European Union's territory will have their physical traits, most probably face recognition elements, on visas or resident permits, under plans to be unveiled by the European Commission at the end of the month, a top Commission official has said.

In an exclusive interview with European Voice, Jonathan Faull, director general for justice and home affairs, said EU citizens' passports would contain the same biometric data by next year.

The move to encrypt people's physical traits on their identity documents follows the United States' anti-terror drives after the 11 September 2001 attacks. Faull, who took over the Commission's justice and home affairs department three months ago, said there is still a "big debate worldwide" on what biometric characteristics (fingerprints, iris scanning or facial recognition) should be used.

He admitted that, although the debate on this issue is ongoing, facial recognition is likely to be accepted as the main element, as it has recently been recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

He said there are two problems linked with the introduction of such data: technology and public acceptance. In order for such security- enhancing measures to be effective, they would have to be adopted worldwide, and the technology to read the data must be compatible and widely available. If adopted on a large scale, it would not be very expensive, he added.

But Faull admitted there would be public resistance to such a move. While some have no problems with giving their fingerprints, "others connect fingerprints with criminals".

Many feel, on the other hand, that iris scanning is "very uncomfortable and intrusive", he added. However, facial recognition - which encrypts a number of measurements, such as the distance between the bottom of the ear and the chin, or between the end of eyebrows and the external point of the lips, which are unique to each person - produces less discomfort. It is, in addition, considered to be as secure as fingerprints by the ICAO.

Faull insisted that biometric traits have to be introduced in Europeans' passports as a matter of urgency, due to international pressure. "The US government requires that all passports must have machine readable biometric identity information by October next year" or countries face the prospect of being out of the present visa-waiver scheme.

He admits the move, harshly criticised by civil rights campaigners on the grounds it increases government's possibility to watch citizens' movements, follows American pressure to step up security as part of its anti-terror campaign. Faull adds, however, that "we would have done it without international pressure as well, because we need more secure documents".

Such data in passports would represent a "proof beyond any doubt that the person is genuinely the one" that the passport or the resident permit indicates.

"These security features are more difficult to reproduce. If your personal data is in the machine, it is more difficult for criminal organizations to reproduce it."

Jonathan Faull, the European Union's Director General for Justice and Home Affairs, revealed in an interview with European Voice that the European Commission is to unveil plans at the end of July 2003 under which foreigners entering EU territory will have their physical traits, most probably face recognition elements, on visas or resident permits.