[Infowarrior] - EU plans to require biometrics of all non-European visitors

[Richard Forno]

Another victory for the idiotic New Normal.....wonder how much of this is in
direct response to the US' forcing such requirements on EU folks?    -rf

 International Herald Tribune
EU plans to require biometrics of all non-European visitors
By Stephen Castle
Sunday, February 10, 2008

http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=9910780

BRUSSELS: All non-Europeans would need to submit biometric data before
crossing Europe's frontiers under sweeping European Union proposals to
combat illegal migration, terrorism and organized crime that are to be
outlined this week.

The plans - arguably the biggest shake-up of border management in Europe
since the creation of an internal travel zone - would apply to citizens of
the United States and all other countries that now enjoy visa-free status.

They would, however, allow EU citizens and "low risk" frequent travelers
from outside the bloc to pass through automated, fast-track frontier
checkpoints without coming into contact with border guards. Voluntary
programs for prescreening such visitors, who would register fingerprints and
other data, would be stepped up.

The proposals, contained in draft documents examined by the International
Herald Tribune and scheduled to go to the European Commission on Wednesday,
were designed to bring the EU visa regime into line with a new era in which
passports include biometric data.

The commission, the EU executive, argues that migratory pressure, organized
crime and terrorism are obvious challenges to the Union and that the bloc's
border and visa policy needs to be brought up to date.

It also wants a new European Border Surveillance System to be created, to
use satellites and unmanned aircraft to help track the movements of
suspected illegal migrants.

If approved by the commission this week, the measures would need the
approval of all EU states.

The United States routinely requires European citizens to submit
fingerprints when crossing its borders and the commission's document notes
that America plans to introduce an electronic travel-authorization system
for people from countries like Britain, France and Germany that are in its
Visa Waiver Program.

The commission's proposals cover the Schengen zone, Europe's internal
free-travel area named after the village in Luxembourg near where the
original agreement between five countries was signed on June 14, 1985.
Twenty-four countries are now members.

It is unclear whether Britain and Ireland, which along with Cyprus are not
members of Schengen, would opt into the program.

Each year more than 300 million travelers cross EU borders, but there is no
obligation for countries inside the Schengen free-travel zone to keep a
record of entries and exits of non-European third-country nationals in a
dedicated database. Moreover, if the visitor leaves from another Schengen
country, it is often impossible to determine whether or not the visitor
overstayed his or her visa.

The proposals, drafted by the European commissioner for justice and home
affairs, Franco Frattini, suggest that non-Europeans on a short-stay visa
would be checked against a Visa Information System that is already under
construction and should be operational in 2012.

Frattini also is calling for a new database to be set up to store
information on the time and place of entry and exit of non-European
nationals, using biometric identifiers. Once a person's visa expired, an
alert would go out to all national authorities that the visitor had
overstayed his or her allotted time.

Travelers from countries with a visa requirement would need to provide
biometric data at European consulates before leaving their home country.
Those arriving from nations not requiring visas, like the United States,
would also need to submit fingerprints and a digitalized facial image.

But the European Union would try to make the system more user-friendly for
Europeans and some categories of bona fide visitors by granting them the
status of "registered traveler." They would be able to have their biometric
travel documents scanned and checked by machines.

All Europeans should be able to use such a system when EU countries complete
the task of issuing passports with two biometric identifiers, by 2019 at the
latest. The 27 EU countries started issuing passports with a digitalized
facial image in August 2006 and, in June 2009, will add the holder's
fingerprints. European residence permits will also contain the same
identifiers.

Non-Europeans could gain the same, fast-track status providing they have not
overstayed previous visas, have proof of sufficient funds to pay for their
stay in Europe and hold a biometric passport.

All non-European nationals would be asked to make an electronic application,
supplying key data, before their arrival, allowing them to be checked
against anti-terror databases in advance.

The draft documents also highlight weaknesses in Europe's efforts to guard
its borders. One paper points out that, in the eight EU countries with
external borders in the Mediterranean Sea and southern Atlantic, frontier
surveillance is carried out by about 50 authorities from 30 institutions,
sometimes with competing competencies and systems.

The plans foresee increased use of satellites and unmanned surveillance
aircraft to monitor unauthorized movements, and a computerized communication
network to share information.

Frattini also wants to see a bigger role for the agency that coordinates
cooperation over external borders, known as Frontex. Although the agency has
been criticized in some southern European nations for failing to match the
scale of the challenge over illegal migration, the commission argues that it
has achieved impressive results.

In 2006 and 2007 more than 53,000 people were apprehended or denied entry at
a frontier and at least 2,900 false travel documents were seized. In
addition, 58 people suspected of links to illegal trafficking have been
arrested.