Attendee's Geolocation
2020 Review
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/
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.
Immigration and Borders Service (Portugal)
Ministry of the Interior, Croatia
Banco de Moçambique
Gallery
Click on any picture to see the full gallery.
National Identity Authority, Ghana
INCM
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
Immigration and Borders Service (Portugal)
SEILER
SICPA
Programme
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
09:30
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
12:20
Celebrating 25th Anniversary of the National Currency – Armenia’s Third Banknote Family
Arman Hovhannisyan
Central Bank of Armenia
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)
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
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)
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)
14:30
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)
14:50
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
16:40
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)
De La Rue
Landqart
Goznak
Awards
See our dedicated Awards page for the Regional Banknote and the Regional ID Document of the Year
Orell Füssli
Zeiser
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