2nd Global Conference and Exhibition on Future Developments of Automated Border Control (ABC) : conference report ; 10-11 October, 2013, Warsaw

Frontex and the European Commission cohosted the Second Global Conference on future developments of Automated Border Controls (ABC) in Warsaw on 10-11 October. The Conference gathered government officials from national border management and immigration authorities from Europe and other parts of the world, such as Aruba, Canada, Southern Caucasus (Azerbaijan and Georgia), Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and the Western Balkans (Montenegro and Serbia); international organizations and EU Agencies including eu-LISA, the European Data Protection Supervisor and the Fundamental Rights Agency, the International Organisation for Standardisation, Interpol, to name a few; as well as airport authorities, academia, and private companies offering technologies and products related to ABC. In total 230 delegates, 50 high level speakers, 12 research institutes and universities, a number of international organizations and associations, and 23 technology providers have attended the event. The Conference served as a forum to discuss the challenges of increased mobility, the benefits and risks linked to the use of automation, and how to balance the aims of facilitating travel and maintaining security at the borders. Furthermore, it highlighted the need for and the benefits of harmonization in order to increase levels of usage and achieve global interoperability. The Conference emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder cooperation for the successful implementation of ABC solutions. Moreover, it addressed the societal implications of ABC technology and the future needs of ABC in the context of integrated border management. The present report is a summary of the key topics and discussions that have been addressed during the Conference