Thales Selected to Prepare France for the New Schengen Area Entry/Exit System

• In 2017 the European Union adopted a new directive for the deployment of a biometric entry and exit registration system (EES) for Member States in order to strengthen the security of the Schengen Area and modernize border crossings.
• In less than one minute, third-country nationals will thus be pre-registered and have their identity verified at Thales kiosks deployed at French airports, train stations and ports.
• The expertise of Thales in the field of identity document verification and biometrics will deliver a secure solution while offering optimal user experience.

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In 2022 Member States of the Schengen Area will be required to have a biometric entry and exit system to register non-European citizens crossing an EU external border. Thales has been selected by the French Ministry of the Interior to deliver several hundred pre-registration kiosks at various border crossing points. Therefore, France will be equipped with a state-of-the-art biometric solution to streamline and secure its air, land and sea border crossings.

In accordance with the directive approved by the European Union, the countries that are part of the Schengen Area will deploy pre-registration kiosks or similar equipment in order to allow non-Schengen visitors to register their identity quickly and securely, including their biometric data (fingerprint and facial biometrics).

To this end, the ‘Thales Gemalto Border Kiosk’ will provide a self-service, intuitive and interactive terminal to guide travelers through every stage of identity registration and verification.

These kiosks, designed and manufactured in Europe, will incorporate various document verification and biometric technologies. They will offer rapid registration for travelers, highly accurate identity verification, data management protection and advanced operational fluidity at border crossings.

The verification of biometric data is an extremely effective and reliable technology, allowing Member States to accurately identify any attempted identity fraud and prevent individuals with false documents, multiple identities, etc. from entering the country.

“This new European entry and exit system represents a major challenge for Member States. On the one hand, they are required to be ready and compliant with the regulations by 2022; on the other hand, they are faced with the operational reality and the fact that millions of people have to be processed each year, for whom we want to offer the smoothest possible experience. Thales’ expertise in identity and border management provides us with technological reliability, without having to make a choice between security and ease of use”, stated the French Ministry of the Interior.

“The pre-registration kiosks manufactured by Thales are equipped with our state-of-the-art technologies for identity creation and verification. They are based on software optimized for ultra-rapid checks of a document’s authenticity and intelligent detection of any attempted identity fraud. We have therefore been able to develop high-performance tools to support operations, without compromising the safety and protection of travelers’ data”, said Youzec Kurp - SVP Identity and Biometric Solutions at Thales.

About Thales

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies, investing in digital and “deep tech” innovations – connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum computing – to build a confident future crucial for the development of our societies. The Group provides its customers – businesses, organisations and governments – in the defense, aeronautics, space, transport, and digital identity and security domains with solutions, services and products that help them fulfil their critical role, consideration for the individual being the driving force behind all decisions.

Thales has 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2020 the Group generated sales of €17 billion.

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