IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026
4 Oct - 9 Oct 2026
Session information
The rise of automated travel authorisation systems: navigating the global shift to digital borders
Thursday 8 October (1115 - 1230)
Committee(s)
Immigration and Nationality Law Committee
(Lead)
Description
This session will compare the US ESTA, the EU’s ETIAS, and the UK ETA systems – examining their scope, implementation challenges, and interoperability. It will explore legal, privacy, and human rights concerns associated with data collection, risk scoring, and algorithmic decision-making in traveller screening. Finally, it will discuss the impact on mobility, visa-free travel, and global business travellers of the implementation of these programmes in the EU, UK, US and several other countries.
Session / Workshop Chair(s)
| Thomas Van Houwelingen-Boer | Everaert Advocaten Immigration Lawyers, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Secretary, Immigration and Nationality Law Committee |
Speakers
| Oluwapamilerin Akabunwa | Moroom Africa Legal Consults , Lagos, Nigeria |
| Tanja Matzen | Danish Immigration Service, Næstved, Denmark |
| Chetal Patel | Bates Wells, London, England; Newsletter Officer, Immigration and Nationality Law Committee |