Announcements


Invitation for Industry & Research Community for the International Conference on Biometrics for Borders

2019-06-15

Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, is inviting industry representatives and the research community to showcase innovative technologies dealing with the use of advanced biometrics and/or with the tackling of its associated vulnerabilities. The theme of this year’s conference will deal largely, but not exclusively, with the topic of morphing and its possible implications for border security. Detailed information on the aim and scope of the conference is found here.

The exploration of existing and future biometric technologies is crucial to border security and the facilitation of legitimate travellers. At the same time, the integration of biometric technologies into the border control infrastructure introduces a whole new set of challenges to border security: biometric systems can be subverted for the purpose of passing through border control under a faked identity. This means that with the introduction of novel technologies supporting biometric recognition, countermeasures that can prevent, detect or defeat such abuses are also needed. In order to underline the importance of both technological innovations and possible abuse of technologies dealing with biometrics, an exhibition is planned as a side event on both days of the conference to connect end-users with technologies and to provide an informal networking environment for all stakeholders present.


The exhibition will go beyond the thematic focus of the conference and provide border management authorities and other participants an insight into the latest developments in the field of biometrics, but also how potential vulnerabilities can be better managed, and the way in which these technologies are impacting border control now and in the future. To accommodate this, the exhibition intends to provide a space to:

  • Industry showcasing new and existing technologies dealing with the use of advanced biometrics in the context of border control, and;
  • Research community detailing relevant research projects focusing on the subversion/exploitation of biometrics and the development of associated tools and/or methods capable of detecting and/or defeating such attacks (or preventing them altogether).

The technology or project showcased does not need to have an actual application in current border controls, as long as speakers and exhibitors are able to showcase a technology or research project of potential relevance to the current or future border control domain. Topics may vary from solutions under development targeting morphing, to topics from the field of artificial intelligence/machine learning, for example deep-fake technologies (e.g. demonstrating biometrics vulnerabilities through reverse-engineering, methods of identifying editing/tampering, etc.), to name only a few.

The target audience of the conference consists of national authorities from the European Union (EU) Member States and non-EU countries, EU policy-makers and agencies, researchers and industry with a demonstrated interest in the topic presented. The first day of the conference will target relevant EU and non-EU national authorities, EU policy-makers and EU agencies. Interested parties are reminded that the issue will be largely approached from the perspective of (the chain of) document issuance/control and security in general, and document authentication and identity verification at the border in particular.

Important deadlines

Should you wish to exhibit during the conference, then please respond to this invitation by sending your offer to biometrics@frontex.europa.eu by 30 August 2019 (23:59 CET). You are kindly invited to include a description of the products/innovations you would like to showcase, as well as an estimation of the space required.

The received offers will be evaluated and selected based on their relevance to the theme of conference and in a way that ensures that different thematic areas are adequately represented. The outcome of the evaluation of the submitted offers will be announced no later than 9 September 2019.

Details on the venue as well as other logistical information will be sent only to participants who have successfully registered. No fees will be charged for registration and exhibiting space. Exhibitors will be asked to cover the costs of travel, their own accommodation and additional costs incurred in exhibit activities.