Detecting forged documents

1) OBJECTIVE

To ensure uniform levels of skills and equipment for the detection of false documents at points of entry into the European Union.

2) UNION MEASURES

Council Recommendation 98/C 189/02 of 28 May 1998 on the provision of forgery detection equipment at ports of entry to the European Union.

Council Recommendation 99/C 140/01 of 29 April 1999 on the provision for the detection of false or falsified documents in the visa departments of representations abroad and in the offices of domestic authorities dealing with the issue or extension of visas.

3) CONTENTS

The first Recommendation concerns the steps to be taken by Member State governments to ensure uniform levels of equipment at points of entry.

The factors determining the equipment at points of entry are:

• the volume of passenger traffic;
• current levels of abuse;
• the availability of reference material;
• the presence of border control officers and the standard of training provided.

This Recommendation cites three levels of provision (minimum, intermediate and upper) based on the qualifications of staff, the quality of the equipment required and the reference documents available.

The second Recommendation concerns the equipment of visa departments to detect false or falsified documents. Depending on the number of visa applications and the scale of the problems encountered, the Council recommends, resources permitting, that the Member States use certain technologies, train staff and increase staffing.

Cooperation could be established between consulates to share equipment where possible and train staff from more than one Member State at the same time.

Annexed to the Recommendation is a list of the provision in human and material resources recommended by the Council in the light of the situation (low, intermediate or high risk of falsification and counterfeiting).

Last updated: 27.07.2005