A “No-Gate Border Crossing Point Solution” is understood to be a method which enables travellers to cross borders without being slowed down by physical checks, based on automated risk-assessment.

This method will likely comprise state-of-the-art technology in the shape of an information system and a network of sensors capable of detecting, recording, processing, and storing data which would otherwise have to be collected by traditional, more time consuming means. This type of technology might be deployed in the vicinity of border crossing points, e.g. on the traveller’s way to the departure gate, and/or it could be mobile/remote and perform checks on travellers along their journey, e.g. as early as “on the plane/train” or at the traveller’s home via remote online data-collection.

It is foreseeable that such new technologies will stand ready to be implemented in the very near future to allow for seamless crossing of borders and security checks for the vast majority of travellers who meet the conditions of entry while ensuring that those who do not fulfil such conditions are refused entry.

Familiar, already existing technologies that could act as “components” in a No-Gate Border Crossing Point Solution are, e.g., cameras, body scanners, facial recognition methods, material detection methods, etc. Some of these existing technologies have been considered controversial due to their perceived intrusive nature. Even though useful from a technical point of view, privacy should not be compromised, and ethical aspecects should be taken into account.

PERSONA project has been called into existence by the European Commission in order to investigate, prior to their potential implementation, the societal and political acceptance of such technologies. PERSONA strives to provide information about:

  • Information systems that better manage personal information and support the automated checking and analysing of various entry and exit data, without increasing the risk of loss of privacy
  • Networks of sensors that better collect information needed for border checks, without increasing the risk of loss of privacy
  • A method, and metrics, to assess acceptability by the society of the concept of border control processes based on “No-Gate Crossing Point Solutions”, and of the various technology components that may be required.