Estonia awards e-passport contract to Gemalto

Under the terms of the contract, Gemalto will provide the Estonian authorities with a turnkey solution, from manufacturing and binding of passport booklets, using Gemalto Setec(i) technology, to the implementation of the personalization system in the premises of the Citizenship and Migration Board under the Ministry of Interior. First deliveries are scheduled to start in early 2007. The agreement runs through 2012 with a possible extension to 2015. Considering present passports issuance rates and plans, it could involve up to one million electronic passports. Under the contract, Gemalto manufactures the travel documents including a powerful microchip for biometric identification and delivers the complete personalisation system to Estonia. Furthermore, Gemalto provides the Estonian government with enrolment software and equipment for capturing and digitizing the data, picture and signature. This comprehensive solution for Estonian Ministry of Interior illustrates Gemalto's ability to handle the whole value chain in the e-passport management process. Gemalto's e-passport references include the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Slovenia, Sweden and the United States of America. (i) Setec is part of the Gemalto group (acquired in 2005). The Setec technology is incorporated in products such as biometric and visual passports, electronic and visual ID cards, driving licenses and health cards.