While speaking in Palma de Mallorca, Francisco Martínez says that "Spain leads the innovative countries that are committed to smart security"

Francisco Martínez made these statements during the presentation of the "Smart Borders" project at Palma de Mallorca Airport on Monday lunchtime.

At the event, to which the State Secretary for Security was accompanied by the President of the Regional Government of the Balearic Islands, Ramón Bauzá, Francisco Martínez stressed that the Balearic Islands - a region that posted its best ever results in terms of inbound German tourists and the British market in 2014 - "provide a fine example of smart security". He went on to add that evidence of this can be found in the seven Foreign Tourist Assistance Services (Spanish acronym: SATE) in operation in Manacor, Palma (Mallorca), Ibiza, Muro, Santa Margalida, Calviá and Sant Antoni de Portmany, which are now part of this "Smart Borders" project.

Francisco Martínez explained that this "Smart Borders" programme aims to connect the various systems that already exist: visa information, automated border control, advanced passenger information and all operational databases. In short, explained Francisco Martínez, "it is an essential tool for facilitating border passage by travellers that also strengthens control and security".

In this regard, he stressed that the management of passenger travelling time is an increasingly important value, and the fact that the Government of Spain is committed to systems that reduce waiting times at airport checkpoints "puts us on the list of innovative countries that are committed to smart security".

Committed to "smart security" at border control

Francisco Martínez explained that the "Smart Borders" system perfectly combines technology with the "high degree of professionalism" shown by police officers through Unattended Checkpoints - where passengers play an active role in verifying their own identity - and Access Control Modules that ensure only those travellers who have successfully completed their verification process at the Unattended Checkpoint cross the border, without direct intervention needed by an officer of the Spanish National Police. Furthermore, he said that the Attended Checkpoints can be used by public servants to monitor all verification processes initiated by travellers in detail and take action where necessary.

Francisco Martínez went on to stress that the nerve centre and monitoring station for all activities carried out at the various national borders is being set up at the Smart Border Management Centre of the General Commissariat of Immigration and Border Affairs of the Spanish National Police Force. This centre, he said, has a Support Centre at the Canillas Police Complex (Madrid) and a Satellite Centre on the premises of the National Police Headquarters at the Port of Algeciras.

The "ABC System" reduces waiting times at airport checkpoints

Francisco Martínez also mentioned the "ABC System" - the System of Swift Entry Access at Airport Borders - within the "Smart Borders" project, which serves adult citizens of the European Economic Area carrying an e-passport, as well as Spanish citizens with e-DNI, and that is already operational at Malaga Airport and as a pilot scheme at terminals in Madrid and Barcelona.

Along the same lines, he announced that this system will be installed between March and June 2015 at the airports in Gerona, Alicante, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife South and the Sea Port of Algeciras. The current deployments at the airports in Madrid and Barcelona will also be renovated and expanded. Furthermore, this system is expected to be installed at the Gibraltar crossing in the first half of 2015.