Combatting frauds on identity and travel documents is a key mission of law enforcement agencies and border guards. Industries have been working on new means to combat frauds on identity, and public authorities are using numerous technologies to accomplish their mission, but permanent innovation is required to fight highly skilled defrauders. A number of European innovation projects have tested new ways to combat fraud but few of them reached an operational level. EINSTEIN objectives is to enhance significantly existing public authorities’ means through innovation, building on technologies proven in the labs but not mature for an operational usage yet. EINSTEIN will deliver six applications essential to fight identity frauds: 1) online ID issuance using a secure cloud-based server for real-time biometric quality checks and fraud detection, 2) mobile document and identity checks using commercially available smartphones, 3) document authentication module to detect fraudulent documents, 4) pre-registration for land-border crossings including biometrics and DTC, 5) EES kiosk with advanced fraud detection using video surveillance, 6) fast track for enrolled travelers using on-the-move face and iris. To ensure TRL7 at a minimum, practitioners will run six different pilot use cases in their own environment. A key objective is also to ensure interoperability and flexibility of all the components developed in the project so that they can be reused in different contexts, possibly by different providers. Design of open, well-defined, standardized interfaces will allow achieving this objective. Privacy being an essential concern of all European citizens and governments, EINSTEIN will take into account privacy-by-design principles, developing flexible components to ease their customization in order to meet not only the European legislation on data protection but also national legislations on this matter, which vary significantly from one country to the other.

The aim of the SAT2Rescue project is to strengthen the use of satellite communication by government institutions and non-governmental organizations, in particular in the areas of response to natural and man-made disasters, optimization of emergency services activities, and telemedicine in humanitarian aid. Infrastructure and services under the GOVSATCOM initiative will be used. As part of the project, a telecommunications satellite terminal will be built, which: • It is portable and mobile: compact dimensions, flat electronic antenna and rugged, durable form allow it to fit in a vehicle, boat or carry in a backpack. • It allows you to establish reliable communication (voice and data transmission), even in the absence of a cellular network signal or outside the range of a terrestrial radio communication system. • It is fully automatic: when turned on, it locates itself using GNSS (including Galileo), locks on to a satellite (in both geostationary and low Earth orbit) and controls the antenna to track it. It can also dynamically switch between satellites without interrupting the connection • Enables you to establish and maintain a connection even while on the move (e.g. while driving) • It is resistant to GNSS signal jamming and spoofing • Provides the ability to divide a single satellite communication channel into independent virtual networks (Software Defined Networking) Usage scenarios will be defined, including: mountain and sea rescue and rescue operations in urbanized areas after disasters. Application software will be developed for rescue operations management centers, providing a situational picture of the operation, integrating geoinformation and weather data, image data from the Copernicus system, and geotag data collected via the Galileo system. The system will be demonstrated according to usage scenarios.

AutoBorder focuses on developing and implementing innovative solutions for border checks specifically designed for vehicles. The approach leverages cutting-edge technologies, including advanced biometrics and in-car sensors integrated with the car's Infotainment and Control Electronics (ICE) system, to streamline the border-crossing process. By utilizing Digital Travel Credentials (DTCs) and pre-registration systems, the project aims to enhance security while significantly reducing waiting times at land borders. Beyond border checks, the technology enhances passenger security through identity monitoring, real-time alerts for unauthorized access, and predictive analytics for threat detection. This dual-purpose approach improves identity verification and passenger safety during travel, advancing security and connectivity across Europe. Leading actors in several relevant fields actively participate in the project, including biometrics and security experts, car manufacturers and researchers. The project builds on prior EU initiatives (e.g., SMILE, D4FLY, EINSTEIN) and, as a RIA project, targets a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5–6 for most components, with some at TRL4. Validation and demonstration will occur in relevant environments, not connected to actual border systems. Solutions must comply with GDPR, the AI Act, EU travel regulations, and other legal and ethical standards. A dedicated legal/ethical partner will ensure compliance, while social aspects like acceptance and human rights will be addressed. End-user involvement is critical, providing feedback to align solutions with practical needs and enabling pilot demonstrations and validations. AutoBorder involves several EU and non-EU end-users, and has foreseen pilot studies at 2 external EU BCPs (UK-France and Moldova - Romania)

OnMoveID will leverage increasing sensory, computational and communicational technological capabilities of standard non-trusted smartphones for advanced privacy-preserving, legal and ethical compliant management of travel documents for fast on-the-move identification of travellers for all types of border crossings: land, sea, and air. High efficiency and security are achieved in three phases: (1) Registration of border crossing (duration ca. 10 min only once, then e.g. annually), within trusted extended 3rd generation EUID wallet. Also, self-scanned identity documents will be stored, verified and used to assess biometric standstill face images and fingerprints using smartphone cameras. (2) Back-up registration (duration ca. 5 min) at registration desk at border with advanced document scanning and digital identity generation using AI. (3.1) Walk-through along lanes (duration ca. 20 sec) of travellers is used to identify and track in consent smartphone positions using ultrasound, to conduct body count from heart beat detection and localization, to generate external best face images from multiple fixed (multi)spectral cameras, while using smartphone sensors to take walk-through face and fingerprint images. (3.2) Drive-through passenger vehicles (ca. 10 sec) uses multispectral cameras. (3.3) Bus inspection (duration ca. 2 min) uses in addition smartphone camera of border officers for taking in-consent images of passengers within the bus. OnMoveID will use rule- and risk-based decision making to accept (back-up) registration as well as final border crossing acceptance or rejection. It extends S-o-t-A of all existing legacy and emerging border management systems and data bases (e.g. EES, VIS, ETIAS) at EU level while improving travellers’ throughput, based on communication and cloud computing within extended EUID/digital wallet framework. OnMoveID is functionally and performance tested and iteratively improved at borders in (i) Finland, (ii) Slovakia, and (iii) UK.

The EU has experienced a surge in fixed border surveillance solutions, including physical barriers, covering 13% of external land borders. The BorderForce project responds to evolving threats by enhancing real-time surveillance capabilities. It introduces a dynamic system, featuring self-sufficient, transportable Command and Control (C2) Stations with configurable and extendable capabilities. These stations incorporate versatile surveillance towers with anti-drone features, integrating data from autonomous monitoring sensors and UAV systems. Dedicated satellite resources, including CubeSat, strategically positioned at high-risk spots, ensure frequent revisits to critical areas. To enable early threat assessment, BorderForce leverages Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), processing online data for border security threats. The project emphasizes ethical, legal, and social aspects, safeguarding fundamental rights in border surveillance capability development. BorderForce collaborates with EU and candidate country border authorities, customs, and Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) entities. It defines scenarios, gathers architecture feedback, and validates end user feedback. The project emphasizes data exchange, novel user interfaces (e.g., XR), and immersive training for collaborative threat assessment, promoting safety and security while upholding fundamental rights. This solution enhances resource sustainability by improving the coordination and deployment of reusable security measures. The BorderForce solution will be validated in 2 field trials to become TRL7. It ensures seamless operations in monitoring the flow of goods, people, and information. Addressing challenges like migration, smuggling, and geopolitical tensions, BorderForce contributes to regional stability, particularly in crises. Overall, it combines technological innovation and international collaboration to bolster border security, prioritizing fundamental rights and ethical considerations.