A high-level group tasked with reviewing security issues at a national level has been set up by officials from the EU and the United States
A relaxing of the American-led insistence that European airlines allow Sky Marshals on transatlantic flights – with US Department of Homeland Security officials stating that they will consider "alternative measures" if European Union (EU) carriers were prevented from complying with their Governments – is one of the major factors behind the formation of a new high-level security group.

According to the European Commission (EC), the group – which comprises top officials and ministers from the US and EU – will meet twice a year to discuss security issues between nations and create joint approaches on issues like the inclusion of biometrics in passports. This would involve the incorporation of digitised photographs and fingerprints on passports and visas which could then be carefully compared with data held by the EU and US immigration services alike.

In practice, the biometrics initiative would build upon work being carried out by the G8 block of richer industrial nations and the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the idea being to make the systems interoperable and allow many countries to verify the identity of passport holders to counteract terrorists. The move follows EC proposals that all EU passports should contain digital photographs.

Another suggestion being considered by the security group is the creation of an international stolen passports database. Speaking exclusively to Security Management Today after the first group meeting, US under secretary of state for Homeland Security Asa Hutchinson claimed that stolen passports represent a "critical issue" for all. Hutchinson added: "This is a tool used by terrorists not just for gaining access to a country, but also as a means of making money on the black market." In the wake of the recent mainland terror attacks in Madrid, the group is also looking at the sharing of information concerning security technology on the railways.

In addition to Hutchinson, the high-level group includes the EU's new anti-terrorism co-ordinator, former Dutch liberal MEP Gijs De Vries, and Jonathan Faull – the Commission's director general of justice and home affairs. De Vries was appointed in March to set up an information exchange system for EU Member States' intelligence services.

The group's launch comes as the EU Council of Ministers gives its formal blessing to a maritime security agreement struck last year between the EC and the US. It formalises existing bilateral deals, allowing American customs officers to conduct thorough pre-shipment clearance investigations in Europe of all cargoes bound for ports Stateside.

In practical terms, this helps in preventing any unfair advantages being gained by ports whose Governments have negotiated the best possible security procedures with officials in Washington.

Source

SMT