Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PERSONA (Privacy, ethical, regulatory and social no-gate crossing point solutions acceptance)
Período documentado: 2019-09-01 hasta 2021-02-28
The introduction of the new requirement for ‘smart borders’ and an increasing number of travellers crossing European borders are putting a mounting pressure on the everyday handling of border checks. Coping with limited resources, border control authorities have to perform a higher number of checks on travellers, while at the same time maintaining national security.
In this sense, flexible, automated and scalable no-gate crossing solutions may offer an effective support to border control authorities, to make border checks faster and more efficient. Nevertheless, the intensive use of these technologies bears the risk of infringing individuals’ rights and freedoms, including the right to privacy and personal data protection, as well as the right to non-discrimination. Therefore, a thorough assessment of no-gate crossing point solutions, from a social acceptance, ethical and legal perspective, is required prior to their implementation.
The main goal of PERSONA (Privacy, Ethical, Regulatory, and SOcial No-gate crossing point solutions Acceptance) is to design and test an integrated impact assessment method (‘IAM PERSONA’) to appropriately identify and assess the risks of no-gate crossing point solutions, taking into account social acceptance, ethical requirements and the respect for fundamental rights (in particular, privacy and personal data protection), to ensure that these technologies meet the expectations of both public authorities and travellers. The main outcome of PERSONA is a peer-reviewed freely adaptable textbook, available in open access, whose objective is to provide guidance on how to assess future no-gate crossing point solutions by industry and border authorities.
In this sense, flexible, automated and scalable no-gate crossing solutions may offer an effective support to border control authorities, to make border checks faster and more efficient. Nevertheless, the intensive use of these technologies bears the risk of infringing individuals’ rights and freedoms, including the right to privacy and personal data protection, as well as the right to non-discrimination. Therefore, a thorough assessment of no-gate crossing point solutions, from a social acceptance, ethical and legal perspective, is required prior to their implementation.
The main goal of PERSONA (Privacy, Ethical, Regulatory, and SOcial No-gate crossing point solutions Acceptance) is to design and test an integrated impact assessment method (‘IAM PERSONA’) to appropriately identify and assess the risks of no-gate crossing point solutions, taking into account social acceptance, ethical requirements and the respect for fundamental rights (in particular, privacy and personal data protection), to ensure that these technologies meet the expectations of both public authorities and travellers. The main outcome of PERSONA is a peer-reviewed freely adaptable textbook, available in open access, whose objective is to provide guidance on how to assess future no-gate crossing point solutions by industry and border authorities.
At the time of its conclusion on 28 February 2021, the 30-month project achieved all of the planned objectives, which were partially redefined after the entry into force of the second amendment of the Grant Agreement.
In WP1, the Consortium worked extensively to identify PERSONA requirements to develop the impact assessment method. The Consortium performed an analysis of the existing European regulatory requirements and best practices regarding the acceptance of border security solutions. Furthermore, it identified users’ requirements and technical requirements, as well as the use cases and user scenarios for the test studies to be executed in WP4. Lastly, it defined the PERSONA benchmark (including legal and ethical requirements, as well as social acceptance) against which the impacts of no-gate crossing technologies are to be assessed. In the final reporting period, internal and external risks to the project were identified and monitored (D1.4).
In WP2, the technological elements were finished, integrated in the orchestrator (where possible) and prepared for the test study type A (cf. WP4).
In WP3, the orchestration framework (D3.3) was completed with the integration of all possible technologies, while a final version of the impact assessment method (D3.2) was prepared.
The whole structure of the test studies in WP4 was modified after the second amendment, and subsequently included three types of test studies, namely type A (a main setting coordinated by QMUL entailing PERSONA-defined technology), type B (a setting within trials co-organised with other collaborating projects) and type C (an end-user led validation of the assessment method on existing technology at their home borders). Test studies A and B have been completed and reported in D4.2. Test studies C were carried out by the end-users of the project after a training session organized online by VUB in May 2020 and their results were presented in D4.3 D4.4 and D4.5.
In WP5, after the specification (D5.1) of best practices for the establishment of, and later engagement with, the External Advisory Board (EAB) and the Community of Stakeholders (CoS), the number of the participants to the CoS surpassed the KPI of 60, reaching in fact 76 by the end of the project. The partner VUB has concluded a contract with a major publisher for the PERSONA textbook, i.e. the main output of the project, namely ASP Editions (D5.2 D5.3).
In WP6, the dissemination activities of the project continued, linking closer tasks for the fostering of the PERSONA Community of Stakeholders (CoS), and for project exploitation.
In WP7, the Coordinator has continuously ensured the swift management of the project. In particular, the project was run in accordance with a quality plan (D7.5) data management plan (D7.5).
In WP8, all the necessary personal data protection requirements and ethics approvals were obtained, and reported in relevant deliverables (D8.1 D8.2 and D8.3).
In WP1, the Consortium worked extensively to identify PERSONA requirements to develop the impact assessment method. The Consortium performed an analysis of the existing European regulatory requirements and best practices regarding the acceptance of border security solutions. Furthermore, it identified users’ requirements and technical requirements, as well as the use cases and user scenarios for the test studies to be executed in WP4. Lastly, it defined the PERSONA benchmark (including legal and ethical requirements, as well as social acceptance) against which the impacts of no-gate crossing technologies are to be assessed. In the final reporting period, internal and external risks to the project were identified and monitored (D1.4).
In WP2, the technological elements were finished, integrated in the orchestrator (where possible) and prepared for the test study type A (cf. WP4).
In WP3, the orchestration framework (D3.3) was completed with the integration of all possible technologies, while a final version of the impact assessment method (D3.2) was prepared.
The whole structure of the test studies in WP4 was modified after the second amendment, and subsequently included three types of test studies, namely type A (a main setting coordinated by QMUL entailing PERSONA-defined technology), type B (a setting within trials co-organised with other collaborating projects) and type C (an end-user led validation of the assessment method on existing technology at their home borders). Test studies A and B have been completed and reported in D4.2. Test studies C were carried out by the end-users of the project after a training session organized online by VUB in May 2020 and their results were presented in D4.3 D4.4 and D4.5.
In WP5, after the specification (D5.1) of best practices for the establishment of, and later engagement with, the External Advisory Board (EAB) and the Community of Stakeholders (CoS), the number of the participants to the CoS surpassed the KPI of 60, reaching in fact 76 by the end of the project. The partner VUB has concluded a contract with a major publisher for the PERSONA textbook, i.e. the main output of the project, namely ASP Editions (D5.2 D5.3).
In WP6, the dissemination activities of the project continued, linking closer tasks for the fostering of the PERSONA Community of Stakeholders (CoS), and for project exploitation.
In WP7, the Coordinator has continuously ensured the swift management of the project. In particular, the project was run in accordance with a quality plan (D7.5) data management plan (D7.5).
In WP8, all the necessary personal data protection requirements and ethics approvals were obtained, and reported in relevant deliverables (D8.1 D8.2 and D8.3).
The main innovative outcome of the project is the integrated impact assessment method tailored to the reality and need of border control solutions. To achieve this goal, the Consortium drafted and submitted for feedback and validation the first version of IAM PERSONA method. The method was subsequently enriched with the inputs coming from the participants to the test studies, PERSONA workshops and the collaboration with sister projects (e.g. TRESSPASS, PROACTIVE). Consulted were also the EAB and the CoS, composed of law enforcement agents, experts in border management, ethics and technology, researchers, and representatives from civil society and IT and security companies.
In the context of the test studies type C, the Consortium developed a template for the integrated impact assessment process that was distributed to the end users to complete the impact assessment reports (D4.3 D4.4 and D4.5). The end users were instructed on how to use the template during the training sessions that took place in May 2020. The template was further adjusted thanks to the results of the test studies type C and a new updated version was included in the final version of the impact assessment method (D3.2) as well as in the textbook (D5.2 D5.3).
Furthermore, PERSONA developed an orchestration framework that represents a universal testbed for no-gate crossing point solutions (D3.3).
The relevant results of WP3 are transposed in a peer-reviewed, publicly accessible and reusable textbook (D5.3). This book is expected not only to provide guidance to border authorities implementing no gate crossing point solutions, but to inform research and industry in the future deployment thereof.
In the context of the test studies type C, the Consortium developed a template for the integrated impact assessment process that was distributed to the end users to complete the impact assessment reports (D4.3 D4.4 and D4.5). The end users were instructed on how to use the template during the training sessions that took place in May 2020. The template was further adjusted thanks to the results of the test studies type C and a new updated version was included in the final version of the impact assessment method (D3.2) as well as in the textbook (D5.2 D5.3).
Furthermore, PERSONA developed an orchestration framework that represents a universal testbed for no-gate crossing point solutions (D3.3).
The relevant results of WP3 are transposed in a peer-reviewed, publicly accessible and reusable textbook (D5.3). This book is expected not only to provide guidance to border authorities implementing no gate crossing point solutions, but to inform research and industry in the future deployment thereof.