With the introduction of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) next year, travellers from more than 60 visa-free countries will be required to apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation to enter 30 European countries. ETIAS will reduce control procedures on arrival and shorten time needed to cross EU’s external borders.
For ETIAS to work in accordance with fundamental rights, a Fundamental Rights Guidance Board is to carry out regular evaluations and make recommendations to the ETIAS Screening Board regarding its work, in particular with regard to privacy, data protection and non-discrimination.
In order to constitute this Guidance Board, Frontex Fundamental Rights Office brought together experts from a number of entities within and outside the agency. The Guidance Board is composed of representatives of the Frontex Fundamental Rights Officer, the Consultative Forum on Fundamental Rights of Frontex, the European Data Protection Supervisor, the European Data Protection Board and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. This composition is stipulated in the ETIAS Regulation (2018/1240, Article 10(2))
Sebastian Hümmeler from the European Data Protection Board was elected the chairperson, and Jonas Grimheden, Frontex’s Fundamental Rights Officer, deputy chairperson.
More information about what ETIAS means for travellers can be found on the new ETIAS website: europa.eu/etias.