Trusted, secure, quality future digital travel credentials

What is this call about?

The topic funds research and innovation on secure issuing, verification and sharing of future digital travel credentials for EU external borders, including new biometric technologies.

What does this call fund?

Scope

The topic supports research and innovation to develop and test capabilities for securely issuing, verifying and managing (including sharing) possible future types of digital travel credentials for crossing the EU's external borders. Solutions must be compatible with current, planned or foreseeable EU formats and applicable International Civil Aviation Organisation schemes, while moving towards further credential types ("Type 2" and "Type 3").

Activities

• Integration of current and new biometrics (such as fingermarks, palmprints and contactless fingerphotos) and acquisition modes such as remote and on-the-move capture.
• Contribution to reference quality assessment standards for these biometric samples and to interoperability, for example between contact and contactless fingerprint data.
• Optionally, issuing or re-issuing emergency credentials (including during evacuations of EU citizens) and the security of breeder documents.

Expected outcomes

Projects contribute to some or all of: issuance, validation and sharing capabilities for future credential types; integration of innovative biometrics; better secure connectivity and interoperability; and improved issuance of emergency travel documents. Activities are expected to reach TRL 4-5.

Further expectations

• Proposals are expected to address the priorities of the European Border and Coast Guard, Frontex and eu-LISA; these agencies will not help prepare proposals but may observe pilots and demonstrations.
• Proposals should plan a mid-term deliverable in which the practitioners involved assess the project's outcomes.

When is the deadline?

4 November 2027 (364 days)

4 November 2027 (single-stage submission).