Presentation of high tech identity documents manufacture to EDAPS Consortium Members
17.08.2005
PRESS-RELEASE
Kyiv, August 17, 2005
On August, 17, 2005 the EDAPS Consortium held a presentation of its products dedicated to the 14th anniversary of the Independence of Ukraine. The representatives of mass media, officers of government institutions, representatives of business enterprises and diplomatic corps were invited to the presentation.
The main idea of the establishment of the EDAPS Consortium was to join efforts to attain success. Currently the Consortium possesses rich scientific and technological support which makes it a unique executor of «turnkey» projects not only in Ukraine but in the whole region of Eastern Europe. These projects are connected with a variety of security documents manufacture and support including:
- blank-forms manufacture
- paper and plastic document personalization
- printing production manufacture with the possibility of additional security elements implementation (forms of documents which issuance requires recording and strict accountability)
- plastic card manufacture and personalization
- planning, supply and adjusting databases systems, maintenance, as well as integrated data systems performing administrative functions
EDAPS Consortium is a modern identity document producing industrial structure which was established in our country on the basis of highly technological Ukrainian enterprises. All members of the Consortium utilize the most up-to-date equipment as well as the best technologies of identity documents manufacture and personalization. The EDAPS Consortium unites 8 enterprises, which are market leaders in Ukraine in their respective industry sectors:
Kyiv Enterprise of Computer Science and Information
Design, introduction and maintenance of computer-based systems including software and data-bases
Specialized Enterprise "Holography"
Development, manufacture and introduction of holographic security elements for protection of payment cards and other documents with necessary safeguards against forgery
Znak
Plastic cards and polycarbonate pages manufacturing
Polly-Service
Delivery and service appliances for personalization of plastic cards, plastic documents and booklet-like documents
Subsidiary enterprise "Polygraph Combine "Zorya"
Produces blank security papers and registered high-security documents forms.
Commercial Industrial Bank
The whole range of bank services for corporate and private clients, project financing
State centre of documents personalization
Documents personalization (leaflets & plastic cards)
Company 3T, Ltd
Software development, database operation
Identity documents of a new generation and other new productions of the EDAPS Consortium were introduced during the presentation. The high-tech production efforts are a result of intensive work of scientists, industrial engineers and polygraphists of the EDAPS Consortium.
It is understood world wide that security elements of traditional passports are imperfect; they are easily counterfeited by terrorists and other criminals. Intensive terrorism suppression requires reliable identity information of individuals. This necessitates a transition to a new generation of passports which meet all International Standards including intensive counterfeit protection as well as implementation of biometric identification methods.
Introduction of a new generation of passports and other identity documents is a pressing task for Ukraine. The goal is to provide unimpeded travel for Ukrainian citizens abroad as well as the liberalization of visa requirements with the countries of the European Union and other world countries. Introduction of a new generation of identity documents in Ukraine should be also instrumental in the implementation of the Ukraine-EU “travel card program” that should facilitate Ukraine’s integration into the European community.
In this respect close collaboration with international organizations, specifically the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is vitally important.
In 2001 the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution # 1373 on international suppression of terrorism. Special attention was paid to efforts on prevention of official document counterfeiting as well as to adherence to International verification standards.
In Ukraine this problem has not yet been solved - the valid Ukrainian passport is still being manufactured utilizing out-dated methods which do not meet current International Security Standards.
Taking into account the above-mentioned facts, the EDAPS Consortium developed a new model of Ukrainian passport which meets all International Standards. A new Ukrainian passport has been developed on the basis of innovative technologies. The key feature is a machine-readable page manufactured from multi-layer polymeric material (polycarbonate). A digital photo of the passport holder and his or her signature and personal data are engraved by laser engraving technique. The same data is integrated into the special machine-readable stripe.
The prototypes of new Ukrainian identity documents developed by EDAPS Consortium have already been approved by the EU as well as OSCE and ICAO.
Ukraine is one of the first countries in the world ready to introduce updated travel and other identity documents, and one of the first to satisfy the conditions contained in Resolution of UN Security Council # 1373 dated September 28, 2001 as well as the Warsaw conference decisions on suppression of terrorism and the OSCE decision on “Travel document security” # 7/03 dated December 2, 2003.
OSCE reported that information about Ukraine’s significant progress in the development of a new secure travel document with a polycarbonate page may be distributed among other OSCE members. The main aim is to find out more about the project and share Ukrainian expertise. Experience of this kind will promote the implementation of these projects in the OSCE member countries.
ICAO: “We verified the provided passport sample and considered its conformity with Document 9303, Section 1 “Machine-readable passports” (edition 5, 2003). The provided passport sample meets all ICAO requirements”.
The EDAPS Consortium is a participant of ICAO Technical Committee that develops standards for machine-readable travel documents. In fall of 2005 the EDAPS representatives will take part in ICAO International Conference on passport document improvement.
In addition, the EDAPS Consortium developed new prototypes of a driver’s license and certificate for vehicle registration. These documents have been also highly commended by International Community.
The EDAPS Consortium is able to fulfill orders for manufacturing the most up-to-date Ukraine plastic cards. The Enterprise “Znak” is the only manufacturer of these products not only in Ukraine but in the whole region of Western Europe. The capacity of this enterprise allows the manufacture of 90 million plastic cards per year which can be utilized as payment, transport, telephone cards, cards for GSM telephone technology, internet cards, club cards, advertisement and information cards, discount cards, key-cards, admittance cards, social, pension and insurance cards, etc. These cards will improve social conditions of Ukrainian citizens as well as facilitate pension and medical service.
The EDAPS Consortium also performs programs for manufacture of security forms and documents of various types which issuance requires recording and strict accountability. EDAPS also implements projects connected with a total cycle of data collection, information storage and processing. Along with the previously mentioned issues, the EDAPS Consortium contributes to a job creation scheme; for 1 year about 2000 high-skilled specialists were involved.
The EDAPS Consortium is the first Ukrainian organization to be admitted to Confederation of Security Issuers and Printing Equipment Vendors (Intergraf). Intergraf is in continual contact with the European Commission, the European Parliament and the International Labor Organization.
EDAPS is able to fully meet the demands of Ukraine in plastic cards, passport documents and other types of identity documents. These documents manufactured on the basis of innovative technology ensure security for each citizen of Ukraine while travelling in any country of the world.
We hope that new identity documents will represent Ukraine as an independent and democratic European Country.
The EDAPS Consortium is a manufacturer of high-tech products that has already gained an esteemed reputation on the international market. EDAPS is ready to take part in project execution and creation of up-to-date identity documents in other countries.
