On 23 and 24 September 2025, the European Commission, below the Community for European Research and Innovation for Security (CERIS), alongside the European Association for Biometrics (EAB), co-organized the “Biometrics in Action for Border Management & Fight Against Crime and Terrorism” workshop. Held through the esteemed Darmstadt Biometrics Week in Germany, this occasion was accompanied by the EAB Research Project Conference (RPC) 2025, marking the biggest European gathering centered on analysis and developments in biometrics and id administration.
This interactive discussion board united EU-funded researchers and innovators, policymakers, and European practitioners, together with nationwide authorities’ representatives and EU safety customers resembling Europol, Frontex, and eu-LISA. It introduced collectively specialists to handle challenges and alternatives posed by rising applied sciences within the areas of border administration and inner safety, together with AI-related threats. The format facilitated participating demonstrations, scenario-based discussions, and collaborative roundtables, encouraging individuals to discover the design of safe, user-friendly, and privacy-preserving biometric options.
The two-day occasion was opened by DG HOME’s Innovation and Security Research Unit and the European Association for Biometrics. The first day centered on biometric methods in inner safety, with the preliminary keynote highlighting the pivotal function of biometric know-how within the EU’s IT methods, guaranteeing inner safety and facilitating seamless journey. It supplied a stimulating framework for addressing ongoing analysis challenges.
During the primary session, varied progressive tasks in biometrics and safety had been showcased. The EURMARS undertaking investigates superior maritime border safety by the mixing of satellites, UAVs, and AI-driven knowledge fusion, delivering a examined platform and instruments for danger evaluation, improved situational consciousness, and determination help. PopEye undertaking centres on-the-move applied sciences for passenger verification at EU exterior borders, aiming to steadiness inner safety with optimised cross-border mobility and enhance legislation enforcement capabilities. Additionally, a prototype of CAST’s contactless multi-fingerprint scanner was featured, demonstrating developments in biometric identification know-how.
During the second session, the AutoBorder undertaking was introduced, specializing in growing progressive options for car border checks, enhancing passenger safety by id monitoring, real-time alerts for unauthorized entry, and predictive analytics for menace detection. The Ceasefire undertaking focused on AI detection methods for combating on-line firearms trafficking. The session concluded with undertaking IMPULSE, which goals to redefine digital id discourse by merging eID administration analysis with moral co-creation.
The day culminated with a roundtable on id verification in advanced environments, reinforcing the occasion’s theme of fostering innovation and analysis within the area of biometric safety.
The second day started with a panel dialogue on AI threats and digital id manipulation, which initiated the third undertaking session. Among the initiatives revealed was the CarMen undertaking, designed to develop a scalable, totally automated biometric system to carry out continuous identification of travellers in varied modes of transportation, resembling in autos and on foot. Another undertaking, POLIIICE, seeks to guide new developments in lawful interception applied sciences with progressive, moral, and privacy-compliant options at cloud, community, and system ranges, empowering European legislation enforcement businesses to fight crime and terrorism inside 5G, encrypted, and quantum communications. Lastly, LICORICE was launched specializing in privacy-preserving applied sciences and safe id administration options from November 2025.
The day ended with the “If I Had This Tech” practitioner Lab, encouraging participant collaboration. Most of the analysis introduced and mentioned all through the occasion was EU-funded and highlighted important developments in biometrics for residence affairs. These developments are essential for each legislation enforcement investigations and migration processes. Despite the challenges confronted by authorities, the occasion demonstrated a steady dedication to advancing biometric options that not solely strengthen safety but in addition respect privateness and particular person rights.
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