The European Commission on Tuesday proposed the introduction of digital passports and identity cards.
These digital documents would not be mandatory nor would they fully replace physical ones. They are aimed at making border controls simpler and more secure.
The proposed documents are digital versions of passport and ID card data, containing the information stored in the chips of the physical documents, except for fingerprints.
The digital documents can be stored on a mobile phone, and by 2030, they would be available through a digital travel application developed by the Commission.
Member States will need to issue the digital documents whenever citizens request them on renewing their passports or ID cards. Third-country travellers with biometric passports can also apply once the European app is available.
Travellers will still need to present physical documents at border controls, but the digital version allows pre-emptive processing by border officers. At the border, the traveller’s face will be compared with the photo in the digital document. Pilot projects suggest this could reduce the average control time from 30 seconds to 8 seconds.
Digitalising travel documents is expected to enhance travel experiences and reduce border officers’ workload. About 600 million people enter the European Union each year.
It will enable border officers to swiftly approve genuine travellers and focus more on deterring crime and terrorism suspects, according to EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson.
The proposals still need approval from Member States and the European Parliament.
