Airlines to collect fingerprints and face scans - Main contents
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Airlines departing from the United States will be required to collect ten fingerprints, a face scan and other specified biometric identifiers from non-US citizens leaving the country. Currently Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collect biometric data upon entry into the US. From August 2008 onwards both commercial air and vessel carriers will be required to submit this information to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) no later than 24 hours after the moment of departure.
Sophie in ´t Veld (D66, Netherlands), and ALDE colleagues Alexander Alvaro (FDP, Germany) and Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (VVD, Netherlands), expressed their concern by submitting a parliamentary question to Commission and Council on this matter.
In ´t Veld stated: "This is outrageous! This rule will force companies to take on government responsibilities. Companies provide a commercial service and should not be burdened with government tasks relating to law enforcement, security and immigration. The European Commission and Council urgently need to intervene! The EU must express its concerns at the EU-US summit next week."
Hennis-Plasschaert added: "US authorities want to match the entry and exit records of people as international travellers who overstayed their authorised period of admission can now only be identified as a consequence of some other encounter with law enforcement, such as worksite enforcement operations or an unrelated arrest on criminal charges. However, this problem is not going to be solved by requiring commercial air carriers and cruise line owners and operators to collect and transmit international visitor's biometric information to DHS within 24 hours of leaving the US. One still needs another encounter with law enforcement to get hold of the individual that does indeed overstay its authorised period of admission. Making air carriers and cruise line owners and operators responsible, while the added value remains to be proved and as a matter of principle, is simply unacceptable!"
Alexander Alvaro, ALDE coordinator for Justice and Home Affairs, criticises the US government's plans by stating "This is another in a long line of measures where governments are outsourcing their security needs and thereby burdening private companies."
On Tuesday the US also announced that EU residents who can travel to the US without a visa will be required to register online with the US government at least 72 hours before departure starting in January.