Finland has expressed interest to be one of the first countries in the EU to pilot a new mobile app holding digital travel documents for cross-border travel.
Further to trials by a select number of member states, the proposal is to roll out digital passports and security documents in all 27 countries belonging to the European Union.
In this latest step away from physical travel documents, processes for proving the right to travel look to become simplified. Passengers will be able to send advanced digital ID documents such as a passport to border authorities in advance to making a journey.
Reportedly, the European Commission approached Finland last year to be part of a pilot project to consider digitalising passports.
Mikko Väisänen, an inspector at the Finnish Border Guard commented: “We’re currently drafting a funding application for the commission. The application must be submitted by the end of August. It’ll then be decided whether the project will be carried out or not”.
As well as Finland’s involvement in a trial, digital documents will be tested in travel between Croatia and Finland and Canada and the Netherlands.
The Parliament of Finland recently passed legislation to set standards around creating a digital identity ecosystem in the country which will give citizens verified access to their own personal data and public services. As well as digital meaning more secure for travel or access to Government services, Finland is following a world-wide trends of countries seeking to provide a streamlined consumer experience to authenticate and verify faster.
There is still uncertainty whether Finland’s trial will actually go ahead or be bypassed with trials first being carried out on air crossings to Croatia. Some passengers will be asked to downloaded the mobile app onto their phones although will still be required to carry their physical passport with them.
