Newsroom
OSCE holds workshop on travel document security in Belgrade
BELGRADE 9 November 2006
BELGRADE, 9 November 2006 - A two-day workshop organized by the OSCE Action against Terrorism Unit on standards of travel document security ended in Serbia today.
The meeting, which took place in Zemun at the OSCE Advanced Police Training Centre, was attended by Serbian travel document security officials and international experts on the issue.
"Upgrading travel and identity document security is important 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.
Branko Belic, Deputy Director of Information Technologies of the Serbian Ministry of Interior, encouraged the participants to use the event to learn more about the possibilities of new and improved passport security.
The event focused on implementing the key elements contained in the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Travel Document Security adopted in Maastricht in 2003, including on standards regarding machine-readable travel documents with digitized photographs, biometric identifiers, as well as handling and issuance.
Other issues discussed included handling and issuing of travel documents, such as blank travel document book control, the travel document application process, issuance procedures and physical security of issuing facilities, as well as the accountability of the authorities issuing travel documents.
The Serbian participants were experts from the Ministry of Interior in the fields of information technology, administrative affairs, border police and criminal investigation, as well as consular affairs officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The workshop was funded by the United States government and organized in co-operation with the Serbian Ministry of Interior and the OSCE Mission to Serbia.
The meeting, which took place in Zemun at the OSCE Advanced Police Training Centre, was attended by Serbian travel document security officials and international experts on the issue.
"Upgrading travel and identity document security is important 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.
Branko Belic, Deputy Director of Information Technologies of the Serbian Ministry of Interior, encouraged the participants to use the event to learn more about the possibilities of new and improved passport security.
The event focused on implementing the key elements contained in the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Travel Document Security adopted in Maastricht in 2003, including on standards regarding machine-readable travel documents with digitized photographs, biometric identifiers, as well as handling and issuance.
Other issues discussed included handling and issuing of travel documents, such as blank travel document book control, the travel document application process, issuance procedures and physical security of issuing facilities, as well as the accountability of the authorities issuing travel documents.
The Serbian participants were experts from the Ministry of Interior in the fields of information technology, administrative affairs, border police and criminal investigation, as well as consular affairs officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The workshop was funded by the United States government and organized in co-operation with the Serbian Ministry of Interior and the OSCE Mission to Serbia.