On Tuesday 5 May, the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament took part in a second session of interinstitutional negotiations (‘trilogues’) on the draft regulation for an EU Digital Travel App. This political meeting follows on from the negotiating mandate adopted by the Member States last 19 November (see EUROPE 13756/18).
The application aims to digitise checks at the Schengen area’s external borders. By voluntarily creating a digital travel document - a certified copy of their passport or identity card details - travellers will be able to submit their information remotely to the relevant authorities. The aim is to enable border guards to carry out preliminary checks in the databases (Entry/Exit System, EES), thereby streamlining physical crossing process.
Discussions between negotiators focused on sensitive technical and ethical issues, such as the integration of the application with other identification systems, the processing of personal data and the distribution of implementation costs. The use of facial images for database searches also remains at the heart of the debate.
While these points still need to be refined with a view to the next trilogue, the positions of Parliament and the Member States are already converging on several parts of the text.
“The digital travel application will be an important contribution towards the delivery of the Schengen strategy and provide travellers with a more seamless and secure travel experience”, said a spokesperson for the Cyprus Presidency, underlining its willingness to conclude the negotiations quickly. Further work, both technical and political, is now required to reach a final agreement. (Original version in French by Justine Manaud)