The European Commission has adopted new security proposals to better protect EU citizens and further reduce the space in which terrorists and criminals operate.Among the raft of measures – designed to deny criminals the means to plan, finance and commit crimes – are plans to bolster the security of identity cards and reduce document fraud.The Commission has proposed to introduce mandatory biometric data, namely fingerprints and facial images, to be stored on EU citizens' ID cards (older than 12 years) and non-EU family members' residence cards, aligning the security standards across the EU with those set out by ICAO. This will be accompanied with stronger safeguards on who can access the biometrics. The Commission says the new rules provide for a relatively quick but gradual phase out of non-compliant cards at their expiry or at the latest within five years and for less secure ones (ie non-machine readable) within two years.Other proposals have also been announced designed to provide law enforcement and judicial authorities with access to financial information; further restrict terrorists' access to explosives precursors and strengthen controls on the import and export of firearms.
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