Annual Report E-passports 2006-2007 of Keesing Journal of Documents & Identity positioned Gemalto as the ndegrees1 supplier. The world leader in digital security supplies at least 30% of VWP nations and also the US, and is the leading vendor in the market.
    At the end of last year an estimation predicted 40 countries (including 27 VWP(1) nations) were to be deploying electronic passport programs, that number has now almost doubled to 70 nations. The report also indicates that last year estimate of the volume of e-passports to be issued by the VWP nations is around 30 millions on an annual basis, while overall annual volume in a couple of year's time is estimated at around 100 million.

    The Keesing report shows that Gemalto << Governments around the world require a trusted partner able to deliver products certified to the most stringent levels and also with the ability to design custom, easy-to-use electronic passport solutions >>, says Olivier Piou, chief executive officer of Gemalto, << Gemalto is able to manage any part of or the whole value chain in the e-passport management process. From designing highly secure electronic passport, producing and binding the booklets, using a powerful microprocessor and designing the integrated software for biometric identification, to implementation of the issuance and personalization system. Gemalto is also able to offer governmental agencies with enrolment software and equipment for capturing and digitizing the data, picture and signature and complete border control systems supporting the new European standard to be adopted to protect biometric information>>.

The Gemalto electronic passport technology consists a highly secure operating system software and encryption algorithms working inside a contactless microprocessor incorporated into the passport's cover. The microcontroller is integrated in a module that is highly resistant to damage. Gemalto's e-passport references in 2006 include:
    - France : First French documents were sent in April last year, and within 5 months more than one million had been issued - a world record for the industry. At the end of 2006 a total of 2 million were delivered.    
    - The United States of America: In August, the US Government Printing Office (GPO) placed its first order with Gemalto. The GPO and the U.S. Department of State that evaluated the Gemalto solution confirmed that it fully satisfies their mandatory requirements for privacy protection,
security, durability, manufacturing yield, transaction speed and communications performance.
    - Estonia: In October the Estonian authorities said that Gemalto would provide them with a comprehensive turnkey e-passport solution. First deliveries started in early 2007.
    - Portugal, Poland, Czech Republic, Denmark, Latvia and Slovenia also selected Gemalto's travel document solutions in 2006.

For more information visit http://www.gemalto.com.