France has called for all visitors to the Schengen area to be required to submit biometric data in planned Smart Border checks, including EU nationals.An official document published by Statewatch revealed the planned requirement:"The French delegation suggests broadening the scope of the 'Smart Borders' package for all travellers, also including European nationals."The French said that "increased external border controls… are essential to maintain the principle of free movement within the Schengen area in the absence of internal border controls.""European collected data operating systems, and entry/exit systems for frequent travellers already developed by Member States for their nationals, could, where necessary, be used by all travellers and not solely reserved for third-country nationals (who only account for 43% of border crossings). A proposal to standardize automatic doors and kiosks used in the Schengen area could be a first step, drawing on the lessons of the ongoing pilot."EU interior ministers met in Luxembourg last Thursday to discuss progress in the plan to create a biometric border system in the continent – previously it was only set to require details from visiting non-EU nationals. The EC presented the package in 2013 but it was temporarily shelved following concerns over projected costs and possible law enforcement access.An EU diplomat told the EUObsersver that the Commission is set to make new smart border proposals before the end of year. "The wider debate on the Schengen external border will also look at how you can use technology better and the commission is bringing forward some proposals on that towards the end of the year on smart borders", he said.In August, Barcelona's El Prat Airport deployed biometric border controls featuring facial and fingerprint recognition in a bid to accelerate passenger throughput. Spain's Minister for Home Affairs, Jorge Fernández Díaz, officially inaugurated the new Smart Borders System.The system is designed for the use of all citizens of the European Economic Area who are of legal age and bearers of an e-passport or e-ID card, and will not only speed up passenger border crossing times but will also increase security and facilitate interconnection with other systems.
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