Security Observatory was invited to provide expert input to the ODYSSEUS project during a consultation held as part of its Privacy, Ethical, Social and Legal Impact Assessment (PIA+). Our organisation was represented by security expert Łukasz Stępień, who have wide experience in security, crisis management and urban resilience. During the consultation, we shared our perspective on the responsible use of AI and advanced surveillance tools in border control, including their impact on fundamental rights, public trust and the resilience of public institutions.
ODYSSEUS is a Horizon Europe Innovation Action that develops and tests unobtrusive, AI-supported solutions for secure and seamless border crossing. The project aims to enable travellers to cross EU external borders – on land and at sea – with fewer stops and less friction, while maintaining high levels of security, reducing illegal movements of people and goods, and protecting the fundamental rights of travellers. Its integrated platform combines digital/virtual travel credentials, advanced identity verification, risk analysis and non-intrusive screening of vehicles and cargo, all designed in line with EU privacy, ethical and legal requirements.
We are always pleased to support initiatives that strengthen the resilience of public authorities and society – and we see close cooperation between research projects, government and independent experts as a key ingredient of safer, more trustworthy and more resilient security systems.
