Traveller Identification Programme (TRIP) Strategy
Facilitation has been recognized as a key component in efforts to maintain business continuity throughout the COVID-19 crisis, stimulate the restart of aviation and ensure an effective and sustainable recovery after the pandemic.
In 2021, new priorities were set with respect to the work programme and mandate of Technical Advisory Group on the Traveller Identification Programme (TAG/TRIP), and new priority actions were identified in the areas of innovation and capacity-building to support the safe resumption of air transport operations.
The 3rd meeting of the TAG/TRIP, initially planned for 20 to 24 July 2020, was postponed to July 2021, and two pre-sessions conducted by correspondence under a silent procedure were held from July to September 2020 and April to May 2021 for the consideration of urgent items. The TAG/TRIP endorsed, inter alia, the digital travel credentials framework and the eighth edition of Doc 9303 — Machine Readable Travel Documents. This edition includes a new Part 13 that sets forth specifications for visible digital seals (VDS). The publication of Part 13 of Doc 9303 was a particularly important development, given the context of pandemic-related travel constraints imposed on air travellers and the potential of the VDS specifications to address such constraints.
New
specifications on digital travel credentials will enable the linkage of ICAO-compliant passports to passengers’ mobile devices, resulting in seamless journeys with fewer passenger touchpoints at airports and a healthier and safer travel experience. The visible digital seal specifications for Quick Reference (QR) codes support technologies behind contactless processes enabling the reliable authentication of testing results and, in the future, vaccination certificates.
The TAG/TRIP also approved a technical report on visible digital seal for non-constrained environments (VDS-NC), providing a mandate for the New Technologies Working Group (NTWG) and experts from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to ensure the compatibility of the VDS-NC with relevant global initiatives, including those of the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Union.
The United Nations Security Council recognized ICAO’s leadership and activities in travel documentation policy and operational matters, which have played a significant role in enhancing aviation security and facilitation, in particular through the introduction of travel document standards and specifications and traveller identification tools to secure borders. Notable achievements made by ICAO included the introduction of Amendment 28 to Annex 9. The Amendment contained new and updated Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) establishing a global framework for the collection, use, processing and protection of Passenger Name Record data in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2396 (2017). To date, 84 Member States have implemented an Advance Passenger Information system, and 51 Member States have implemented Passenger Name Records.
