Spain to Implement EU-Backed Facial Recognition at Moroccan Borders in May

This new facial recognition system recommended by the EU to strengthen the control of travelers from third countries (outside the Schengen area) by land, air or sea, will avoid the monstrous traffic jams at border posts due to document checks. The implementation of this system, scheduled for mid-2022, has been delayed and should be effective "in May 2023", sources from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior told ABC.

This delay is due to the complexity of the operation, since "Spain has 81 borders, including 44 air, 33 maritime and four land borders," explain the same sources. Thales Spain is the company that has developed the software and hardware necessary for this biometric security system. "This new method will save time for the police," assures Miguel Mendoza, spokesperson and manager of the company. The traveler will only have to position himself in front of a camera for the analysis of his facial data. If they do not match those in the database, he will be asked for four of his fingerprints.

"At the beginning, there will be queues, because both travelers and operators/police will have to learn to use this system and adapt to it," explains Mendoza. The system has four 4K cameras, one for security and the rest for biometric facial recognition, as well as an integrated battery that allows it to continue to function in the event of a power failure. It is also equipped with artificial intelligence that allows it to prevent fraud and recognize faces even if the person ages.