Attendee's Geolocation

High Security Printing EMEA in Picture Perfect Lisbon

Seven cinematic hillsides overlook the Rio Tejo cradle – Lisbon’s postcard-perfect panorama of cobbled alleyways, ancient ruins and white-domed cathedrals – which provided a wonderful backdrop to the latest High Security Printing HSP (EMEA) conference. And despite the gathering storm clouds of coronavirus, the events was still host to over 270 delegates from more than 136 organisations and 43 countries, who came together in what was probably the last industry event for some months to come. 

The conference programme was split into two parallel tracks – one focusing on currency and the other on travel and identity documents – allowing attendees to concentrate on the topics and issues that interest them most. A total of 52 presentations was delivered over the two days with seven dedicated sessions covering regional developments in currency, passports and national eID, security features, production and print as well as issuance and identity management, authentication, cash management, developments in other secure documents, and technology and innovation.

There was an overriding theme on the currency side of the environment and climate change impact: not only were there several  presentations touching on this topic, but it was also the theme of the first seminar on 9  March. A number of organisations presented what the industry can do to minimise the environmental impact of the cash cycle. Many of these have made practical changes in their currency production and  management cycles which have led to a real impact on their environmental footprint.

The second currency seminar provided an overview of the new Europa series and its security features, including the newest features introduced in the high value banknotes. In an unusually open and frank session Manuel Mourato, Senior Forensic Expert from the Judiciary Police National Counterfeiting Analysis Centre in Portugal not only gave his view on how secure those banknotes are and if the new features will be sufficient to prevent counterfeiting, but also provided numerous examples of counterfeit features for the audience to examine.  

The ID seminars looked at the creation of a passport design and how many countries have been able to deliver unique travel documents that become works of art and symbols of trust followed by the theory of blockchain, digital transformation and augmented reality in the high security printing sector.

The conference itself was formally opened by Mr Hélder Rosalino, Member of the Board, Banco de Portugal followed by Sérgio São João, also of the central bank, who reviewed Valora’s development strategy covering its development from 2004. Valora is fully owned by Banco de Portugal and produces the share of euro banknotes allocated to Banco de Portugal by the Eurosystem. Euro banknotes produced by Valora are easily identifiable through the serial number, which always start with M.

Presentations then followed covering other regional and ID developments with presentations from the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service, IDEMIA and the Central Bank of Morocco’s own national banknote printing and minting works, Dar As-Sikkah.

The programme then divided into two tracks covering currency and ID/secure documents respectively – with a packed agenda comprising over 50 speakers, a handful of whom – due to travel restrictions already in place – gave their presentations by video link.. On the currency side, the topics  covered a range of regional currency developments, design, durability and security of banknotes, the future for cash covering the facts rather than fiction, production, print and destruction – including the afore-mentioned environmental / climate change dimensions of the cash cycle.

On the ID side the focus was on travel and identity documents in the region, recent developments, document design, security and personalisation, electronic documents and government services, as well as document fraud and authentication. A specialist session was dedicated to tax stamps and traceability developments with presentations from the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA), the Customs Department of Malta, Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda (INCM) and SICPA.  

A specialised exhibition of over 40 companies was held alongside the conference sessions, providing delegates with an opportunity to see the latest industry products and solutions.

There were two other highlights of the event which included the conference dinner at the stunning SUD Lisboa Restaurant. The dinner also provided the setting for the presentation of the annual Best Banknote and Best ID Document Awards.

Several new notes and a note series were recognised for their outstanding technical advancement and design, and security excellence.

The Central Bank of Armenia’s new Dram series won the accolade for the Best New Series, reflecting the country’s commitment to improve the quality of its currency in the face of one of the toughest environments in the world for circulating notes.

The Best New Banknote award went to the Bank of England for its new eye-catching £20 note featuring renowned English artist JMW Turner. Several overt and covert design features include a metallised 3D image of the coronation crown on the font with a purple foil patch based on the staircase at the Tate Britain on the reverse side.

The Best New Commemorative Banknote accolade went to the National Bank of Poland for its 19 Zloty, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Polish Security Printing Works being established.

The ID document awards included four winners – two in the best new eID card and two in the best new ePassport category. The awards recognised outstanding achievements and technical sophistication of the documents and the best in system infrastructure and implementation of the schemes.

The first award went to the Belgian National Register for the new Belgian national eID card launched in January 2020. The card now has two chips instead of just one: a contact chip and a contactless chip.

Alongside Belgium, Latvia’s Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Interior was recognised for the country’s new national eID card launched in September 2019. Designed to be futureproof, the new Latvian eID card has gone far beyond in enhancing security and functionality of its predecessor..

Two awards were also presented in the best new ePassport category. The first award went to Malta’s passport agency Identity Malta for the new Maltese ePassport, launched in November 2019 with cutting-edge technology .

The second award went to Lithuania’s Service of Technological Security of State Documents under the Ministry of Finance for the new Lithuanian ePassport. Launched in May 2019 the upgraded ePassport incorporates a suite of modern security features some of which have been introduced in the Lithuanian passport for the first time.

The full press releases for these awards can be found here:

https://www.reconnaissance.net/news/awards-see-banknotes-cash-in-on-technical-advancements/

https://www.reconnaissance.net/news/belgium-latvia-malta-and-lithuania-celebrate-at-id-awards-in-lisbon/

On the final evening the established HSP football match allowed delegates to play at the prestigious complexo Desportivo de Porto Salvo, with 22 delegates participating, this was as competitive as ever and after a couple of games with no injuries – we did have some slight ones on this occasion with back, shin and ankle groans!  

We will announce the location of our HSP EMEA 2021 event in due course.

The conference was very interesting. Regarding the new trends in technology it’s interesting to explore both perspectives from industry and law enforcement.

Immigration and Borders Service (Portugal)

In my opinion, the conference gave me the opportunity to see the next products and technical developments in the area of ID document security. The conference is well organised and I do not have any remarks.

Ministry of the Interior, Croatia

Yes. But if we were not facing coronavirus the event should be better, because some delegates didn’t come. I learnt a lot and enjoyed a lot. Congratulations to the organisers.

Banco de Moçambique

It has been splendid, excellent presentations from distinguished players in the currency and ID documents ecosystem. The coronavirus threat couldn’t stop HSP EMEA, Lisbon, Portugal!

National Identity Authority, Ghana

Continues to be a very interesting conference that lets us know the news and good practices used by partner as well as trends.

INCM

It was worth coming to this conference even more/although difficulties of corona. But we could meet our customers and hear great presentations.

Hueck Folien

Attendees

Afghanistan High Security Printing (AHSP)

Afghanistan

Agencija za Komercijalnu Djelatnost (AKD) d.o.o.

Croatia

Alan Hodgson Consulting

United Kingdom

Andrupos BV

Netherlands

Angstrom Technologies, Inc.

USA

Aron Universal Ltd

India

Art-Line Projekt GmbH

Germany

ATM Industry Association (ATMIA)

United Kingdom

Banco de España

Spain

Banco de Portugal

Portugal

Bank Al-Maghrib

Morocco

Bank of Albania

Albania

Bank of England

United Kingdom

Bank of Latvia

Latvia

Bank of Mozambique

Mozambique

Belgian National Register

Belgium

Bundesdruckerei GmbH

Germany

Canada Border Services Agency

Canada

Canadian Bank Note Company Ltd

Canada

Casa da Moeda do Brasil

Brazil

CCL Secure Pty Ltd

Australia

Central Bank of Armenia

Armenia

Central Bank of Colombia

Colombia

Central Bank of Somalia

Somalia

Central Bank of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Central Bank of Sudan

Sudan

Centre for Anticorruption – Lithuania

Lithuania

Corit International

Austria

Covestro Deutschland AG

Germany

Crane Currency

USA

Currency Research

United Kingdom

Czech National Bank

Czech Republic

De La Rue

United Kingdom

DNP Imagingcomm Europe B.V.

Netherlands

Estonian Police and Border Guard Board

Estonia

European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex)

Poland

Finnish Border Guard

Finand

Finnish Immigration Service

Finland

FNMT (Fabrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre – Real Casa de la Moneda)

Spain

Forensic Laboratory of Warsaw Metropolitan Police

Poland

Foster & Freeman Ltd

United Kingdom

FUTEC Europe

Germany

GAW technologies GmbH

Austria

Giesecke+Devrient Currency Technology GmbH

Germany

Gleitsmann Security Inks GmbH

Germany

Gradus Proximus

Austria

Heidelberg Instruments Mikrotechnik GmbH

Germany

HoloGrate JSC

Russia

Hueck Folien GmbH

Austria

Hunkeler Systeme AG

Switzerland

ID Partners

France

Idemia

Latvia

Identity Malta Agency

Malta

Infineon Technologies AG

Russia

Inorcoat

Bulgaria

Internal Security Agency

Poland

International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

Canada

International Reference Systems bv

Netherlands

IQ Structures

Czech Republic

Joint Stock Company Goznak

Russia

JSC RPC Krypten

Russia

Jura JSP GmbH

Austria

KBA-NotaSys SA

Switzerland

Keesing Technologies

Netherlands

Komori Corporation

Japan

Landqart

Switzerland

Leonhard Kurz Ltd (UK)

United Kingdom

Leonhard Kurz Stiftung & Co KG

Germany

Luminescence Sun Chemical Security

United Kingdom

M. One AG

Switzerland

Macau SAR Identification Services Bureau

Macau

MaskTech GmbH

Germany

Melzer Maschinenbau GmbH

Germany

MEMBRAFLOW control systems GmbH

Germany

Ministry of Finance – Lithuania

Lithuania

Ministry of Finance – Malta

Malta

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

Russia

Ministry of Interior – Austria

Austria

Ministry of Interior – Croatia

Croatia

Ministry of Interior – Hungary

Hungary

Ministry of the Interior and Administration – Poland

Poland

Mühlbauer GmbH & Co. KG

Germany

Nanotech Security Corp

Canada

National Counterfeit Analysis Centre, Polícia Judiciária

Portugal

National Examinations Council of Tanzania

Tanzania

National Identification Authority (Ghana)

Ghana

Netherlands Royal Marechaussee

Netherlands

Oberthur Fiduciaire SAS

France

Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB)

Austria

Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs – Latvia

Latvia

OpSec Security Group

United Kingdom

OpSec Security Inc

United Kingdom

Orell Füssli Security Printing Limited

Switzerland

Österreichische Staatsdruckerei GmbH

Austria

Pakistan Security Printing Corporation

Personalisation of Identity Documents Centre (Ministry of Interior)

Lithuania

Petrel

France

Philopateer Sàrl

Switzerland

Polish Security Printing Works (PWPW)

Poland

Polygraph Combine “Ukraina”

Ukraine

Portuguese Mint – Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda SA

Portugal

Prismade Labs GmbH

Germany

Public Services Agency – Moldovia

Moldovia

Rade?e Papir Nova d.o.o.

Slovenia

Regula Baltija Ltd

Latvia

Richard Lewington

Spain

Schreiner Group GmbH & Co KG

Germany

Scytáles AB

Sweden

Sectago GmbH

Germany

Secure Identity Alliance

Security Fibres UK Limited

United Kingdom

Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Limited

India

SEILER Systems Technology GmbH

Austria

SEPRINTO Ltd

Switzerland

Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras

Portugal

SICPA SA

Switzerland

Sistrade

Portugal

SPG Prints BV

Netherlands

Sun Chemical Europe

France

SURYS

France

Thales

France

The State Police of Latvia

Latvia

Toppan Europe GmbH

Germany

Uninova

Portugal

University of Minho

Portugal

US Department of Homeland Security

USA

Vacuumatic Ltd (HQ)

United Kingdom

Vacuumatic Maschinen GmbH

Germany

Valora S.A.

Portugal

Veridos GmbH

Germany

Water Mark Publishing House

Russia

Water Treatment GmbH

Austria

X and Me Technology AG

Switzerland

X-Celeprint Limited

Ireland

ZEISER GmbH

Germany

Zetes Industries

Belgium

So, this was my ‘first one’!! It was a must. Really enjoyed the subjects and presentations. Hopefully I’ll be back! Many thanks.

Immigration and Borders Service (Portugal)

Good venue – excellent! A pity what is happening in the world – great that it still happened! Well done!

SEILER

Great location, beautiful gala dinner, interesting working conference. Useful sessions raising new ideas.

SICPA

Monday 9 March

Currency Workshop 1 & 2

09:00 – 12:30

Understanding the Environmental and Climate Change Impact of Banknotes from Production to Destruction. What Can We Do to Make a Difference?

What can we do to minimise the environmental impact of the cash cycle? In recent years a number of organisations have made practical changes in their currency production and cash management cycle which has had a real impact on their environmental footprint. This seminar builds on these developments but wants to go further.

14:00 – 17:30

How Secure are the Europa Series Euro Banknotes? Will the New Security Features be Sufficient to Prevent Counterfeiting?

In 2013 the European Central Bank has introduced a new Euro series with an innovative new design and security features – the ‘Europa’ Series which was complete with the new 100 and 200 Euro banknotes that went into circulation in May 2019.

This seminar will provide an overview of the new Europa series and their security features, including the newest features introduced in the high value banknotes.

Passports and Identity Documents Workshop 1 & 2

09:00 – 12:30

Developing a Holistic Approach to Security Document Design

The creation of a passport design is always an exciting phase of developing the document. It is also often an unpredictable part of project implementation. Designing a new family of travel and identity documents is like any other design project, or is it?

Authorities have set new design expectations for distinctive passports that are as secure as they are attractive. Many countries have been able to deliver unique travel documents that become works of art and symbols of trust and pride in the hands of millions.

14:00 – 17:30

Blockchain, Digital Transformation & Augmented Reality – the Future is Now!

The aim of the three-hour seminar is to take you through all the basics of blockchain, digital transformation and augmented reality. The seminar will cover trends, frameworks and uses and applications of blockchain and digital transformation in the high security printing sector.

The course also covers the theory of blockchain and digital transformation in detail, including practical skills and project management and has been designed to provide an introductory overview of blockchain and digital transformation skills..

Tuesday 10 March

Hover on the presentation title or speaker to see if more information is available.

Presentation is available for download, click on the icon to access the download page.

Session One: Currency and Identity Documents in EMEA

09:10

Valora Development Strategy – Shaping the Future

Sérgio São João

Banco de Portugal

09:30

The Portuguese Passport – a Cultural and Technical Perspective

Octávio Vieira Rodrigues

Immigration and Borders Service (Portugal)

09:50

The Future for Cash – Separating Fact from Fiction

Wolfram Seidemann

International Currency Association

10:10

Building a sustainable partnership for secure colored polycarbonate ID documents

Mouhcine Naji

Dar As Sikkah (Morocco)

Olivier Charlanes

IDEMIA (France)

Session Two

Currency: Regional Currency Developments

ID: Developments in Travel and Identity Documents

11:40

Art of the State meets state of the art

Lewis Mundy-Gill

Bank of England (UK)

12:00

A Voyage of Discovery – Launching the New BOE £20 Turner Note

Steve Craig

Komori (Japan)

12:20

Celebrating 25th Anniversary of the National Currency – Armenia’s Third Banknote Family

Arman Hovhannisyan

Central Bank of Armenia

12:40

Cash in Circulation – What is Really Happening

John Winchcombe

Currency News (UK)

11:40

The Latest Generation of Maltese eID Cards and ePassports

Anton Sevasta

Identity Malta

12:00

The New Belgian National eID Card – a World First, Belgian National Register

Steven Van Essche

Belgian National Register (Belgium)

Jean-Marc Joiret

Zetes (Belgium)

12:20

The New Lithuanian ePassport

Leonas Stankevicius

Service of Technological Security of State Documents under the Ministry of Finance (Lithuania)

12:40

Biometric Visa – the New Trend in Border Facilitation and Security

Charles de Couëssin

ID Partners (France)

Session Three

Currency: Design, Security and Durability

ID: Design, Security and Personalisation

14:30

Integrating Security Features for Better Security and Durability

Richard Perera

Landqart (Switzerland)

14:50

Novel Optically Variable Features for Banknotes Based on Diffraction Optics

Micaal Sidorov

Demax (Bulgaria)

15:10

Windowed Banknotes with KINEGRAM® Foil: Some New Projects with Our Industry Partners

Ian Smith

Leonhard Kurz (Germany)

15:30

LaserLine Secure: a new approach on plate and chablon creation. The future of Offset printing?

Jacques Lang

Seprinto (Switzerland)

15:50

The Intersection Between the Digital and Physical World of Banknotes

Mouhcine Naji

Dar As-Sikkah (Morocco)

14:30

New Document Verification: from Physical to Digital Inspection

Isabelle Poulard

IDEMIA (France)

14:50

Rethinking the Passport Concepts Enabled by Innovative Specialty Films

Georgios Tziovaras

Covestro (Germany)

15:10

Looking at Security Applications Differently

Tom Mitchell

Luminescence Sun Chemical Security (UK)

15:30

CLIP ID®: State-of-the-Art Colour Personalisation Technology for Polycarbonate Ids

Rafaela Pernice

Veridos (Germany)

15:50

Personalised DOVID in Polycarbonate IDs and Passports

Robert Dvorak

IQ Structures (Czech Republic)

Wednesday 11 March

Session Four

Currency: Production, Print and Destruction

ID: Breeder Documents and Personal Data

09:00

Towards a Greener, More Efficient Intaglio

Hervé Guillerey

KBA NotaSys (Switzerland)

Nathalie Serra

KBA NotaSys (Switzerland)

09:20

Ultrafiltration: The Most Cost-Efficient Way to Water Saving and Conscious Disposal in the Intaglio Printing Process

Veronica Esponda

WTG Water Treatment (Austria)

09:40

Optimal Process Control with Seamless Rotary Screen Pre-Press and Printing of Security Features

Rob Hermkens

SPG Prints (Switzerland)

10:00

Security Threads –a History and Review

David Tidmarsh

Reconnaissance (UK)

09:00

Breeder Documents and Personal Data

Bernd Zwattendorfer

Infineon (Germany)

09:20

New Developments in ID Cards and Breeder Documents

Tumelo Raboletsi

National Identity and Civil Registry Department (Lesotho)

09:40

How Self-Sovereign ID Solutions Can Help Citizens Gain Control over Their ID Data

Franz Brudl

Austrian State Printing House (Austria)

10:00

Printing National ID Cards: Centralised vs Desktop

Emmanuel Brown

National Identity Authority (Ghana)

Session Five

Currency: Authentication and Anti-Counterfeiting

ID: Document Fraud and Authentication

11:20

Authenticating Hungarian Banknotes with a Smartphone

Barbara Rethy

National Bank of Hungary

11:40

Counterfeit Deterrence – Bank of Russia’s Approach

Tatiana Alexandrova

Bank of Russia

12:00

Magneto-Optical Hysteresigraph MOHyster Regula 7708 for Analysis of Soft, Semihard & LoCo-Hard Magnetic Printing

Pavlo Kozhukhar

Regula (Belarus)

11:20

Rethinking Document Design as a Means of Counterfeit Deterrence

Elizabeth Gil

Department of Homeland Security (USA)

11:40

Printing Technique: Laser Engraving – the New Threat

Rui Melro

Frontex (EU)

12:00

The Value of Checking the Physical Security of a Travel Document in eGates

Daniel Holliger

OVD Kinegram (Switzerland)

Session Six

Secure Documents: Tax Stamps and Traceability Developments

ID: Electronic and Digital ID

13:50

The Revolution in Excise Tax Stamp Programmes

Barna Barabas

International Tax Stamp Association (UK)

14:10

Gearing Up for New Challenges

Marisa Hewer

Customs Department (Malta)

14:30

UniQode and TrustFace: The Power of Authenticity and Validation of Documents, Products and Persons

Nuno Miguel Gonçalves

INCM (Portugal)

14:50

Machine-Assisted Authentication of Documents and Products

Andrey Karyuchin

SICPA (Switzerland)

13:50

Not Just 1s and 0s in a Digital Identity

Hans de Moel

Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, Ministry of Defense (Netherlands)

14:10

Where is the eID Revolution?

Achim Hildebrandt

Formerly Federal Ministry of the Interior (Germany)

14:30

Opportunities and Challenges in Developing eGovernment

Mateusz Waligórski

PWPW (Poland)

14:50

Next Generation Mobile ID – the Promises of the Digital ID Wallet

Kristel Teyras

Thales Group (France)

Session Seven: Technology and Innovation

16:00

Unlocking the ID Ecosystem with OSIA: A Framework for Innovation, Competition and Sustainability

Debora Comparin

Secure Identity Alliance

16:20

Printing Beyond Colour

Alan Hodgson

Alan Hodgson Consulting (UK)

16:40

Green Solution for the Platting of Intaglio Printing Plates – PVD Technology as a Substitution of Galvanic Chrome Plating

Professor Martin Andritschky

University of Minho (Portugal)

Romain Waidelich

Inorcoat (Bulgaria)

Great organisation. Venue good for number of people. Dinner venue and entertainment excellent. Virus kept away central banks sadly. Video presentations worked well.

De La Rue

I’ll let you know in 14 days – post-quarantine… All good. Thanks for not cancelling and keeping a good programme!

Landqart

As usual it was a substantial and fascinating event with lots of interesting sessions, core specialists of the industry and vast knowledge. Thanks to Reconnaissance for perfect organisation and lovely location.

Goznak

Awards

See our dedicated Awards page for the Regional Banknote and the Regional ID Document of the Year

Good location and organisation, interesting content.

Orell Füssli

It was a good and interesting show even with corona. Good presentations and wonderful location.

Zeiser

Great conference under very difficult circumstances.

KURZ

Sponsors

Thank you to our 2020 Sponsors and Exhibitors

 

Many thanks to the following sponsors and exhibitors for taking part in our wonderful exhibition running alongside the conference:

Platinum – IDEMIA

Honorary – Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda SA (INCM)

Gold – KBA-Notasys, Komori Corporation

Silver – Demax Holograms, Hungarian Banknote Printing Company / DIPA, INORCOAT, Jura / PARVIS, Luminescence Sun Chemical Security, Orell Fussli Security Printing, Security Fibres UK, SICPA, SPG Prints, WTG Water Treatment GmbH

Exhibitors – Andrupos, Art-Line Projekt / Melzer, FUTEC, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), IQ Structures, Heidelberg Instruments, Hunkeler Systeme AG, International Reference Systems, Keesing Technologies, Masktech, MEMBRAFLOW / Seprinto, Nemoto, OVD Kinegram / KURZ, Petrel, Regula, SEILER Systems Technology, SIS Trade, ZEISER