Report on the implementation of the Action Plan to strengthen the EU response to travel document fraud

Summary:

This report provides an overview of a number of work strands and specific measures undertaken by the Member States, the European institutions and other stakeholders to fulfil the actions described in the Action Plan. The report shows the progress made in each of the key areas of the identity infrastructure: registration of identity, issuance of documents, document production and document control.

Further information:

In December 2016 the European Commission adopted a Communication on an Action Plan to strengthen the European response to travel document fraud aiming at improving the overall security of travel documents issued in the EU.

The Action Plan addressed the increasingly significant problem of travel document fraud, which became more relevant in the context of the terrorist attacks and migration flows.

Against this background, it was crucial that the EU and especially the Member States intensify efforts to improve the security of travel documents, thus contributing to better border protection and migration management and to move towards an effective and genuine Security Union.

The Action Plan looked at concepts and processes to manage identity, and identified actions to close potential loopholes for Member States, the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament. Council Conclusions on the Action Plan were adopted on 27 March 2017.