Brussels, 24/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - The fate of the 'smart borders' legislative package, which includes the creation of a system to record entries and exits by third-country nationals and the creation of a regular traveller registration programme, was on the agenda of MEPs and members of the national parliaments, representatives of the police forces and researchers, attending a hearing at the EP on 23 and 24 February.
With the new Commission announcing in December that this package, tabled in 2013, has been withdrawn and will be presented again in early 2016 with improved proposals, several of those who took the floor expressed concern at the consequences of the recent terrorist attacks in Europe and increasing calls to allow the police forces access to the data in these systems, which cover third-country nationals only.
In late February 2013, the former competent Commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom, proposed a legislative package to facilitate arrivals of travellers into the Schengen area, whilst stepping up checks on illegal incomers, using state-of-the-art technology. More than 200 million crossings of the external borders were recorded in 2014, a figure which will exceed 700 million by 2030. The Commission had tabled two regulations creating a European Registered Traveller Programme (RTP) and a system of entries/exits. The registration programme would aim to allow travellers to be issued with a computerised card, allowing them to cross an electronic border in EU airports. The entry/exit system will verify whether bona fide travellers do indeed leave the territory once their travel documents have expired, replacing the current 'stamp' systems and electronically calculating the length of the authorised short stay. However, these 'new tech' borders come with a pricetag of a billion euros. It is partly due to these costs, and possible impacts on data protection, that the European Parliament very soon put up a certain level of opposition. The Council has also stated that a revision of the draft would be welcomed.
In any case, the Commission rejected the possibility for the police forces to be able to access these databases, in 2013. On Monday 23 February, Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos expressed the same misgivings. On the basis of an initial impact assessment, the Commission concluded that there were not enough elements to justify police access. A recent study, from October 2014, also highlighted the fact that with police access, the data retention period would rise to five years, whereas the current draft provides for travellers' personal data to be held for just six months. Additionally, police access to these data would cost €32 million.
A number of MEPs feel that using these technological devices for anti-terror purposes makes little sense. Gérard Deprez (ALDE, Belgium) pointed out that the terrorists recently active in France and Denmark were European nationals, whereas 'smart borders' covers only extra-Community nationals. “Where is the consistency?”, the Belgian MEP asked.
Pending the Commission's verdict on its 'smart borders' package, a pilot phase will open in the next few weeks in a handful of member states, notably in Portuguese, French, British and Dutch airports. The pilot project will test out the system on the basis of taking digital fingerprints or facial recognition and will run until the autumn. (Solenn Paulic)