French Ministry of the Interior selects IDEMIA and Sopra Steria to develop a new standard border control system

• The French Ministry of the Interior has selected the IDEMIA and Sopra Steria consortium to design, build, roll out, maintain and update a new standard border control system (CCAF).

• The CCAF rollout will form part of the EU’s 2022 introduction of its Entry-Exit System (EES), which is intended to better secure the Schengen Area’s outside borders and most of all, to tackle the issue of foreign nationals overstaying their visas.

• Biometric technologies underpinning the CCAF will help make border controls faster and more accurate.

CCAF is an ambitious project seeking to install a high-performance standard system so that all border control activities can be properly coordinated and harmonized. It will be rolled out in France during 2021.

While assuring border controls’ underlying need for security and accuracy, CCAF’s development will also focus on interoperability and scalability. It will be so designed that it can cope with future French and EU regulatory changes and growth in traveller traffic in and out of mainland and overseas France.

Underpinned by biometric recognition, the system will minimize traveller time spent passing through border controls without having to hire further guards on French borders.

IDEMIA and Sopra Steria will join forces tapping into their ID management expertise, especially in relation to border security, and their French critical systems in-depth know-how.

There is a lot at stake with the CCAF project including a need to factor in high flexibility and responsiveness when developing EU IT systems in view of upcoming world sports events like the 2023 Rugby World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics. With this joint project, the Ministry placed their trust in the consortium’s skill and expertise in meeting highly demanding business, tech and regulatory needs and tight milestone deadlines.

We are very grateful to the French Ministry of the Interior for having trusted our know-how and expertise in automated border-crossing controls. The CCAF project aims to develop and perfect a standard and robust border system that is both smoother and more secure. Together with our partner Sopra Steria, we pledge to provide a groundbreaking system that delivers a high level of security and an enhanced travel experience.
Pascal Fallet, IDEMIA Senior VP Europe, Public Security and Identity

Having served the Ministry of the Interior over many years, we are immensely proud to be selected with our partner IDEMIA to develop and roll out the new standard border control system. IDEMIA’s skills and know-how as biometrics world leader fit very well with our own skills as reputed big government systems integrator in complex environments. This will be a great asset to ensure the project’s success. Together with IDEMIA we pledge to develop a reliable and secure system that sustainably delivers on required service quality by harnessing all necessary state-of-the-art technologies.
Georges Wakim, Sopra Steria Security Market Director

In France, IDEMIA is currently responsible for the passenger automated border control tracking system and the visa and asylum application data processing system. IDEMIA also regularly conducts pilot tests with various private and public sector parties including Aéroports de Paris (ADP Group), Air France and recently Lyon Aéroports (MONA by Vinci Airports) with a view to biometrics improving the airport’s passenger experience.

Meanwhile, Sopra Steria frequently serves the French Ministry of the Interior bringing many famous projects to fruition. For instance, the Group helps develop the Schengen border system working with various other EU Member States, develops and delivers security file search apps for French police forces and works to enhance French road safety and management of foreign migrants.

Last June, IDEMIA and Sopra Steria were picked by EU agency eu-LISA to develop the new shared Biometric Matching System (sBMS), on which Schengen Area border security is based.