Two upcoming international conferences on the theme of border controls showcase the people, organisations and corporations building the state apparatuses of the future – but who is holding them to account?
Border Security 2010 is a commercial venture of the SMI Group on “land, air and maritime border security issues” that also has a counter-terrorism and public order focus. The event is sponsored by a host of defence and Homeland Security companies and takes place in Rome on 3-4 March 2010, following “sell out events in Istanbul in 2008, and Warsaw in 2009”.
Keynote speakers include Edgar Beugels (Head of Research and Development Unit, Frontex), Keith Best, (UK Immigration Advisory Service) and Thomas Tass (Executive Director, Borderpol). The conference also includes presentations on:
- The EFFISEC project (an FP7 project on checkpoint security)
- ‘Border Violence’ (brought to you by the European office of the Department of Homeland Security)
- EADS National Security Programme for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Uses for unmanned aerial systems [drones etc.] in Border Security Operations
- Security Planning and Technological Application in International Major Events: The Italian G8 Summit Experience
- NATO’s International Border Security Agenda
- Biometric Technologies for Border Processing (from the EU-funded European Biometrics Forum)
- Analysis of the Mumbai Terror Attacks
- UK National Security & UK Maritime Security
- See full programme (pdf)
For its 2011 event SMI plans “a special focus on the use of border management technologies” with “special insights into how different surveillance technologies are being used to aid decision making and improve security at all levels”. Heralding a new era of government by robot, ‘Border Security 2011’ will consider “how far the human factor is being replaced and what your role will be in the 21st century environment”.
This theme is taken up by the second event. Towards E-Borders: The impact of new technologies on border controls in the EU takes place at the Academy of European law in Trier on 22-23 April 2010. The seminar will “take stock of the use and the impact of new technologies on EU borders” and the “role of Frontex and Europol”. Speakers include:
- Erik Berglund (Director of Capacity Building Division, Frontex Agency, Warsaw)
- Roland Genson (Director, Police and Customs Cooperation, Schengen Directorate, General Secretariat of the Council of the EU, Brussels)
- Julie Gillis and Ian Neill (Director and deputy, e-Borders Programme, UK)
- Jean-Dominique Nollet, Head of Analysis, Serious Crime Department, Europol)
- Frank Paul (Head of Unit, Large-scale IT-systems and Biometrics, Directorate-General Justice, Freedom and Security, European Commission)
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