OSCE-organized workshop on establishing Advance Passenger Information system concludes in Prishtinë/Priština

A two-day workshop on how to establish an Advance Passenger Information (API) system for preventing the movement of foreign terrorist fighters and enhancing aviation security concluded on 22 February 2018 in Prishtinë/Priština.  Representatives from all Kosovo agencies involved in passenger processing – 45 in total – as well as police and customs officials and members of the civil aviation authority, the Data Protection Agency and the Internal Affairs Ministry took part.

The workshop, which focused on drafting a roadmap for setting up an API system, was organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department (TNTD), with the support of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

International experts from Australia, the Netherlands, the United States, airline companies and commercial service providers shared their experience and best practices in working with API data. They stressed the need for strong inter-agency co-operation and a comprehensive legal framework that allows for the collection of passenger data while fully respecting citizens’ right to privacy.

An API system is an electronic system through which biographic data from a traveller’s passport and flight details are collected by airlines and transmitted to the relevant entities such as border control agencies before departure or arrival.

The collection and processing of API data by government structures has grown in importance since the adoption of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2178 (2014), which calls for the establishment of individual API systems. This obligation has been further reinforced with the adoption of UNSC Resolution 2396 (2017) and Amendment 26 to the Chicago Convention, making an API system mandatory.

“There are several factors that explain the low incidence of API systems around the world, such as the significant costs of purchasing, maintaining and operating the system or the high level of technical capacity and skills required to process the data sent by airlines,” said Simon Deignan, OSCE Programme Manager. “With our API workshops, we aim to provide local authorities with a good understanding of how these systems work and to help them to identify technical assistance and financial opportunities available for implementation.”

This was the sixth workshop on API in the OSCE region organized since December 2016. The TNTD plans to conduct additional workshops in Central Asia, Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus in 2018.

“The fact that some of the authorities have already started to develop the API implementation plans is encouraging. We will continue providing local authorities with recommendations on good practices and potential pitfalls before they embark on the actual implementation process,” said Deignan.