Law & Ethics

PopEye is deeply committed to ensuring that both our research and the solutions we develop are fully aligned with ethical principles, legal frameworks, and societal expectations. Our
primary goal is to create solutions that can adequately address pressing challenges without infringing on the fundamental rights and freedoms.

We aim to stay ahead of the curve, guaranteeing our solutions comply with applicable EU law on, among others, migration and the Entry Exit System (EES), as well as emerging initiatives
related to interoperability, large-scale databases, and identity documents.

We place great emphasis on the use of Trustworthy AI. We are dedicated to ensuring that the AI systems we use and develop are transparent, accountable, and auditable, thus meeting a
high level of fairness and accuracy. We have conducted risk assessments to mitigate any adverse ethical or human rights-related impacts and actively incorporate principles outlined by
the European Commission (i.e., the AI Act, the Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI or the Ethics by Design and Ethics of Use Approaches for AI) into our processes, guaranteeing that
the systems are developed with respect for fundamental rights, human dignity, autonomy, and fairness.

Central to our legal and ethical commitments is the protection of personal data. The PopEye consortium has taken the necessary measures to be fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and all relevant EU data protection laws. Our solutions are designed to respect the right to privacy and the protection of personal data, as well as adhere
to the principles of privacy-by-design, data minimisation, consent, and transparency. We work diligently to prevent the misuse of sensitive information, focusing on both technical and organisational safeguards and meaningful human oversight.

We are aware of the risks and dangers of bias in AI systems, particularly in border security contexts. To this end, we have implemented rigorous testing protocols to identify and mitigate
any bias in our AI models and algorithms. Our team continuously works to ensure that PopEye technologies operate in a fair, impartial, and non-discriminatory manner; and we aim to
guarantee that our deployments build trust in biometric technologies and contribute to a more just, safe and equitable society.

Throughout PopEye’s lifetime, we will engage with legal and ethical experts and advisors. Our partners, KU Leuven and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, will work together with our technical partners to provide regular checks and guidance, ensuring adherence to the highest legal and ethical standards. Meanwhile, an independent External Ethics Advisory Board will periodically monitor our operations and report on all relevant ethical matters.