OSCE workshop explores how to establish an Advance Passenger Information system in Montenegro

PODGORICA, 1 June 2017 - A workshop on how to establish an Advance Passenger Information (API) system in Montenegro in alignment with international standards, to help the country’s authorities better regulate the exit, entry and transit of air passengers, was organized by the OSCE from 30 May to 1 June 2017 in Podgorica.

Organized by the Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department in close co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, the event was based on a pilot workshop conducted in Serbia in late 2016. It is the first of a series of national workshops on enhancing the implementation of API systems that will take place in South-Eastern Europe over the next two years.

The workshop brought together all actors involved in passenger processing in the country, including decision-makers, border control and airport authorities, airlines, customs officers, and data protection experts. It provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of the functions and benefits of API in combating terrorism and transnational crime as well as of the administrative, technological, and operational procedures required for putting in place an API system.

API systems are electronic communications systems that allow for the collection of biographical data from a passenger’s travel document before a flight’s departure or arrival at the airport of destination. When checked against law enforcement watch lists, such as those of INTERPOL, API data can be an effective tool for enhancing border management and aviation security.

The workshop participants, with the assistance of experts from the OSCE and its international partners – the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) – identified strengths and weaknesses of the current national passenger processing environment and determined the technical assistance needs of the country.

The participation of officers from Spain, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States as well as IT service providers contributed to the exchange of experiences and best practices in the utilization of flight passenger data. The workshop resulted in a roadmap drafted jointly by participants and experts, outlining the main steps that Montenegro should follow to implement a national API system.

The project is part of the OSCE’s efforts to promote compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2178 and 2309 and the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Enhancing the Use of Advance Passenger Information (2016), which aim at improving international and regional co-operation to prevent the movement of foreign terrorist fighters by expanding the use of API systems around the world.