Compliance expert calls for transparency and safeguards as new EU border system goes live

As the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) comes into effect this week, requiring most non-EU travellers to register biometric data such as fingerprints and facial scans at the border, digital compliance expert SmartSearch is calling for greater transparency and stronger safeguards around how digital identity information is used and protected. 

Stuart Morris, Chief Technology Officer at SmartSearch said: “Consumers have been signing Terms & Conditions for apps on their smartphones for years, often unwittingly giving away certain rights to their data and likeness. However, as seen in the public response to the Online Safety Act, more questions are now being asked by the public when it comes to safeguarding their data and ensuring digital privacy. The UK government’s new EES digital ID scheme will be no different.”

The system, which will eventually replace the manual passport-stamping process, aims to make border crossing faster and more efficient, while tracking who is coming in and out of the Schengen area (25 of the 27 EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). The EU says it will also provide valuable information to improve security across member states.

However, warns Morris, any large-scale identity or biometric system must be built on principles of privacy, consent, and accountability to maintain public trust:

“Establishing robust and trusted identity online has arguably never been more important to combat rising levels of identity fraud, theft and financial crime – as well as improving border security,” he said, “but the government will need to consider how to put as much control of their digital ID data into the hands of the individual to create a foundation of trust.

“Continued collaboration between regulators and the private sector will help to ensure universal acceptance of the initiative. Existing schemes like the Digital Identity & Attributes Trust Framework will help to certify and recognise businesses and solutions that can be trusted to provide digital ID verification, all while respecting individual’s privacy and data ownership when it comes to how that information is used, accessed and stored for the future.”

Morris also argues that a trusted digital identity framework also has the potential to make every day processes – from applying for a mortgage to onboarding with a new service – simpler, safer, and more efficient – but only if they are built of transparency.

He explains: “For example, with digital identity framework, a first-time buyer could confirm their ID instantly with their lender, avoiding the delays of document uploads and manual checks. Or a small business owner could use the same verified ID to open a bank account or sign supplier contracts online, saving time and reducing risk.

“However, these benefits will only be realised if schemes like the EES are built on transparency, privacy, and personal choice. Without strong legal and technical safeguards, there is a risk of government overreach — where an ID system designed for convenience gradually expands into wider areas such as travel, taxation, healthcare, banking, or even access to benefits and political participation. The system must protect citizens from surveillance and coercion, not enable it.”