New Rules for East Mids Travellers

5.26.05pm GMT Wed 10th Mar 2004

The European Commission has put forward proposals to include biometric identifiers in EU travel documents. The proposals will cover visas for passports for all EU citizens, as well as visas for non-EU citizens and residence permits.

The proposals would mean that machine-readable digital photographs would be obligatory, with Member States able to choose whether they also want to use fingerprints.

British passports already contain photographs but the new system will mean that they will be digitised in a way that will make the biometric data within the photograph machine-readable. This information will be stored in chip in the passport. The UK Passport Service expects to issue Biometric Machine Readable Passports from mid 2005.

Speaking after a hearing on the proposals, hosted by the European Liberal Democrats in Brussels last week, East Midlands Euro MP, Bill Newton Dunn cautiously welcomed the move:

"This is an important step in the fight against fraud and in securing our borders. Biometric data is unique to and inseparable from the individual, so provides a key way to prevent identity theft, which is an increasing problem. This is one more piece to our armour in the fight against crime.

"There are still serious questions to be answered as to the cost, the reliability and the proportionality of the systems to be used but this is a move in the right direction. The hearing last week set about tackling these concerns and looked at how citizens' data protection rights can be safeguarded."

The introduction of biometrics will also mean that EU citizens can continue to enter the US without a visa. New US laws require EU countries to issue passports including biometric features from 26 October 2004. The EU will meet with US authorities in May to try and extend the visa waiver to 2005, to give EU countries time to implement the changes.