Government ID, Smart Cards, Identification and Authentication

EU passes biometric passport rules

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Members of the European Parliament passed new rules that would require the introduction of biometric passports this summer, according to the EU Observer.

The new rules state that all EU countries, as well as in Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, should start issuing passports containing biometric elements, such as facial images and fingerprints, as of June 29. Some EU states, Germany, France and the Netherlands, have already stated issuing the new passports.

In related news, Georgia announced that it would begin issuing biometric passports as well, according to the Georgia Times.

Read more here and here. [end] 

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