Gemalto automatic border management solution live at Oslo airport

Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, announces that it is equipping the Norwegian National Police Directorate with its Coesys eBorder solution, a self-service border control system leveraging electronic secure travel documents for Oslo's Gardermoen Airport. Based on sophisticated automatic passport verification and facial recognition technology, the solution offers Norwegian citizens travelling from non-Schengen countries a faster journey through Norway's busiest airport.

The eGate, an expedited border crossing system designed to streamline the immigration clearance process, features a highly secure, two-stage verification. At the first step, the passport is authenticated and, if approved, the traveller is allowed to move on to a second gate for automatic facial recognition. The traveller can continue his or her journey when the system confirms that the picture matches the electronic portrait securely stored on the e-passport.

To ensure absolute protection of sensitive information, no personal data is held within the eGate system itself. Furthermore, the system is monitored continuously by a border control guard who can intervene manually at any point. By allowing Norwegian passengers to verify their identity themselves with their e-passports, the Coesys eBorder solution reduces queuing time and improves the travelling experience, without compromising security. It also allows border control authorities to allocate resources more effectively within the airport.

Oslo Gardermoen Airport now handles more than 20 million travellers a year, so it is essential to ensure a smooth border crossing. This service is a natural extension of the e-passport programme already entrusted to Gemalto in 2010. The introduction of the new eGates solution will help to eliminate bottlenecks at passport control points, while maintaining safe and secure borders.

"This self-service border control project is a major step towards the EU 'Smart Borders' initiative, which aims at enabling smooth and swift border crossing to simplify life for citizens frequently travelling to the EU," says Tommi Nordberg, Senior Vice-President for Government Programmes at Gemalto. "Every year, more than 700 million EU citizens cross the EU's external borders, and by 2030, this number will nearly double [1]. Gemalto is proud to make the journey as easy as possible for tourists and business travellers visiting Europe."

1. Source: EU 'Smart Borders': Commission wants easier access and enhanced security