EU scraps fingerprints for children’s passports

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — The European Parliament removed the rule in an update to EU-wide security features for passports now being implemented across the 27-nation union, plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.

The rules call for the introduction of biometric passports, which contain a chip carrying the passport-holder’s fingerprints. The feature is meant to prevent identity fraud.

Pilot projects carried out in some EU countries found that children’s fingerprints are not sufficient to verify identities because the prints change as people grow up.

The EU assembly voted on the measure Wednesday.

AFP/ Expatica