OSCE holds regional workshop on travel document security in Vilnius

VILNIUS, 21 December 2006 - A two-day workshop organized by the OSCE Action against Terrorism Unit on improving regional aspects of travel document security ended in Vilnius today.

The event was attended by 21 travel document security officials from 10 OSCE participating States and two international experts.

"As travel and identity documents are becoming more secure, it is increasingly important to improve the quality of handling and issuance procedures, not only with regard to countering terrorism, but also to protect our citizens against identity theft and other forms of crime," said Dimitar Jalnev, the Programme Co-ordinator with the OSCE's Action against Terrorism Unit.

 Anatolijus Rimkevicius, Secretary of the Lithuanian Interior Ministry, added: "we must ensure a holistic approach to the handling and issuance process, including document protection, interoperability and privacy."

Participants, including experts from respective passport bureaus, as well as consular affairs officers, discussed ways to implement the key elements contained in the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Travel Document Security adopted in Maastricht in 2003, specifically on improving security standards for the handling and issuance of passports as well as other travel documents, as recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Discussions focused on the ICAO minimum security standards for handling and issuance of passports, including blank travel document book control, the travel document application and adjudication process, issuance procedures and physical security of issuing facilities. Participants also visited the Lithuanian Personalization of Identity Documents Centre. Particular attention was dedicated to the Interpol database of lost and stolen travel documents as an important tool to prevent the illegal movement of terrorists and other criminals across borders.

The workshop was funded by the OSCE and organized in co-operation with the Lithuanian Interior Ministry.