EU border patrol
The EU has proposed setting up a European border patrol system and a requirement for travellers to submit their fingerprints before entering the EU, in plans unveiled yesterday
Currently, anyone crossing a border into the EU's 24 Schengen countries faces an entry and exit check at the very least, whether they are an EU citizen or not. Non-EU nationals face a more thorough check, including a search of databases.
The EU has no centralised system for registering when visitors enter and exit the bloc, and the movements of those who leave the Union from a different member state to that of their point of entry are often not recorded.
Under the proposals, all non-Europeans would have to submit biometric data to enter the EU even if they come from countries such as the United States and Canada, from which visa-free travel is currently permitted.
The far-reaching package, designed to combat terrorism, illegal migration and organised crime, would also involve setting up a comprehensive electronic register of travellers' biometric data.
