The WIB-Economics group visited the German Bundesdruckerei (the German state printing services) and Veridos in Berlin-Mitte on 23 November 2022. Bundesdruckerei, a state-owned company with a 250-year history, is located directly at the historic site of the former German border. Not only they produce documents such as passports, ID and vehicle documents, banknotes and stamps, they also offers technology services for security identification, communication and infrastructure.

Veridos, the identity solution provider in which Bundesruckerei holds 40% share, provides operational and technical support for governments and public authorities of more than 70 countries worldwide. They also produce passport documents, ID cards, driver’s licenses and healthcare cards. During the presentation, the overview of products and applications of these technologies and services were explained in details. Through a mock-up security device used at the airports, we could see the kind of information appeared on the screen at the Custom and Border Protection desk during the checking. We were also shown how the forged and manipulated passports can be detected. We learned about the biometric system used by the central government registration for asylum seekers in Germany.

Many questions from the WiB members only showed how much the security issues affect everyone and our private lives, especially when traveling. Our hosts responded to each of the questions professionally and effectively. It was a highly interesting and "hands-on" tour.