Privacy Leader Issues Opinion on Biometrics in Passports

April 1, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS

The EC has proposed new rules requiring passports to contain certain security features involving biometric identifiers in the form of fingerprints.

After reviewing the proposed rules, which did identify some exemptions - principally for children and the elderly - Peter Hustinx of the EDPS said that the concessions do not go far enough to protect the rights of citizens.

"The fact that the commission took into account the need for fallback procedures, stated in previous opinions, is more than welcomed," Hustinx said. "These exemptions are, however, still unsatisfactory. They fail to address all the possible and relevant issues triggered by the inherent imperfections of biometric systems, and more specifically those related to children and elderly."

With a view to ensuring stringent safeguards to the proposed system, the EDPS opinion included the following recommendations:

• Fingerprints from children - The proposed six-year age limit should be considered as a provisional one, or brought in line with international practice (14 years of age). After three years, the age limit should be reviewed and defined by an in-depth study that is to identify the accuracy of the systems obtained under real conditions.

• Fingerprints from the elderly - An age limit for elderly people, based on similar experiences already in place (at 79 years of age), should be introduced as an additional exemption. (This is because the reliability and accuracy of fingerprints decreases as people get older.)

• Principle of "one person - one passport" - This principle should be applied only to children above the relevant age limit.

• "Breeder" documents - Additional measures should be proposed to harmonise the production and the use of documents required in member states to issue passports.

• Better harmonisation for the implementation of regulation 2252/2004 - Only decentralised storage of biometric data collected for member states' passports and common error rates for the enrolment and matching process should be implemented.

For more information, see the EDPS web site and read the EDPS opinion on biometrics in passports.

Source: European Commission.