BRUSSELS, Belgium — European Union leaders want their nations to fingerprint all foreign visitors and take other steps to keep out illegal immigrants as part of a sweeping security overhaul proposed Friday.
The measures are similar to those in place in the United States and have prompted concerns about privacy and the rights of those seeking refugee status in the EU. But EU leaders suggested security is paramount.
At a summit, they said crafting a common border and immigration policy for Europe by 2010 “is a key priority for citizens” and pushed efforts to reach agreement to the top of their political agenda.
In a declaration Friday, the EU leaders ordered their governments to draft legislation on tougher border security measures to ease the way toward a more seamless immigration and asylum policy.
These would include fingerprinting and screening for all visitors who cross the bloc’s borders and using a satellite system to keep out illegal immigrants.
The screening would apply to everyone: Those who need a visa to enter EU nations, such as visitors from most African nations, as well as those who do not, such as U.S. citizens.
Foreign tourists on Paris’ Champs-Elysees seemed to shrug off the proposed measures as part of the new world security landscape.
“I’m all right with fingerprinting, since I suppose it will enhance safety,” said Gary Gordon, a lawyer from Lansing, Mich.
Florida teacher Bridget Schmidt said she had “no problem” with fingerprinting, but added, “I don’t feel any safer in the United States because they fingerprint people.”
If all 27 EU governments approve all the immigration and security proposals mentioned in Friday’s declaration, that would represent one of the largest security overhauls in the European Union and could cost billions of dollars.
