TAG/TRIP Terms of Reference

1. The members of the TAG/TRIP, former TAG on Machine Readable Travel Documents (TAG/MRTD), are appointed by the Secretary General. The Secretariat reports to the Air Transport Committee on the progress of the work of the group.

2.  The TAG/TRIP will undertake the following tasks in the work required for the implementation of the ICAO Traveller Identification Programme (TRIP) Strategy and the provision of related capacity building assistance:

   1) develop a guiding long-term vision for identification management as defined by the ICAO TRIP Strategy which is designed to assist Member States, without any discrimination, to uniquely identify individuals, and to enhance the security and integrity of their travel documents;

   2) advise the Secretariat on the effective ways to implement the five elements of the ICAO TRIP:

• Evidence of identity
• Machine Readable Travel Documents (MRTDs)
• Document issuance and control
• Inspection systems and tools including the ICAO Public Key Directory (PKD)

• Interoperable applications;

  3) ensure that specifications and guidance material contained in Doc 9303, Machine Readable Travel Documents, remain up to date in the light of technological advances, and to continue to explore technological solutions aimed at enhancing security and the integrity of travel documents with the view of broadening, expanding, facilitating, and improving secure border management globally;

  4) explore ways of broadening assistance and capacity-building support to Member States in the traveller identification and travel document  areas, including a proactive leadership role for ICAO in facilitating and coordinating such assistance in the international community, in close cooperation with other experts of Member States, international organizations and the private sector; 

  5) continue the work on further strengthening the security and integrity of traveller identification in order to strengthen an effective and secure border management process, and developing guidance material to assist Member States to further those objectives;

  6) assist the Secretariat in monitoring the implementation of the ICAO TRIP Strategy as required by the Assembly Resolutions related to aviation Facilitation;

  7) assist the Secretariat in defining specific deliverables and Key Performance Indicators  to measure implementation progress;

  8) update ICAO policy and guidance material on the ICAO TRIP Strategy, with a view to keeping it current and responsive to changes and the needs of ICAO Member States;

  9) facilitate ICAO TRIP assistance in the form of education, training and identification of the right experts for projects conducted through a resource mobilization process or thanks to voluntary contributions;

  10) carry out capacity building outreach activities in conjunction with States, other international organizations, inter-governmental bodies and the private sector;

  11) provide inputs to allow the maintenance of a secure ICAO TRIP Platform where the international community can share and promote its data and tools;

  12) assist when and as required the Public Key Directory (PKD) Board in order to ensure that future processes established by States for validation of e-MRTD, e-Documents with a limited regional travel function and other e-Documents such as Convention Travel Documents (CTD) or Seafarers Identity Documents (SID) issued by States with a travel function, is supported by an appropriate policy and technical environment;

  13) assist the ICAO Secretariat in developing, maintaining, and operating programmes to ensure States comply with ICAO Standards and specifications for travel documents;

  14) develop an ePassport roadmap that could be adapted to the specific needs of each State, based on the necessary implementation of strong identity management as a preliminary step;

  15) review periodically the TAG/TRIP Terms of Reference and propose amendments as necessary; and

  16) assist the Secretariat through the support of the TAG/TRIP Working Groups in undertaking other tasks as may be assigned by the Air Transport Committee to the Secretariat. 

3.The Group will take into account the interests of all stakeholders and the importance to States of effective implementation of the ICAO TRIP Strategy, as well as the Strategic Objective of ICAO related to Aviation Security and Facilitation. 

Implementation Capacity Building Working Group (ICBWG)

The ICAO ICBWG was established in 2008 primarily to assist with the universal implementation of Machine-Readable Travel Documents (MRTD), and to build global capability in related identity management disciplines. With the establishment of the Traveller Identification Program (TRIP), the mandate of the ICBWG became much broader, incorporating advice and guidance for ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) across a range of travel document and border control/facilitation areas. 

States may lack the knowledge, technical expertise or resources to implement ICAO SARPs. ICBWG assists states to comply with SARPs, invest in appropriate systems and technologies, and implement best practice processes to achieve global interoperability and security. ICBWG key focus is to ensure the ICAO 'No Country Left Behind' mandate is realised.

ICBWG has five enabling outcomes to assist ICAO Member States to uniquely identify individuals and enhance the security, integrity and efficiency of travel document and border clearance operations: 

• States effectively establish and authenticate identity
• States issue travel documents that comply with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs)
• States have robust and secure document issuance systems and controls
• States routinely read and validate MRTDs (including eMRTDs) at borders
• States utilise globally interoperable applications to manage risk and maximise border efficiency

The ICBWG provides advice and assistance to the ICAO Secretariat in the implementation of the five elements of TRIP. This includes (but is not limited to) the following areas of activity:

• Developing guidance material and tools for implementing TRIP-related standards, recommended practices and specifications, and measuring compliance;
• Updating ICAO policy and guidance material on the ICAO TRIP Strategy, with a view to keeping it current and responsive to changes and the needs of ICAO Member States;
• Supporting capacity building initiatives and regional initiatives, including seminars and symposia;
• Facilitating ICAO TRIP assistance in the form of education, training and identification of experts for projects conducted through a resource mobilisation process or voluntary contributions;
• Building the knowledge and strategic capability of States in order that they can design, procure and implement new technologies and processes that drive value;
• Maintaining up-to-date information on the status of States in relation to travel documents and border control; and
• Contributing to the development and maintenance of SARPs and technical specifications on MRTD or eMRTD issuance and border control matters, including serving as a forum for providing input and feedback.
• The ICBWG also undertakes a proactive leadership role for ICAO in facilitating and coordinating assistance in the international community, in close cooperation with other experts of Member States, international organisations and the private sector.
• The ICAO Secretariat, TAG/TRIP members and ICAO Member States can attend ICBWG. TAG/TRIP Observers, Chair of the ISO SC17 WG3, Task Force Leaders and representatives from other interested parties and organisations are invited at the discretion of ICAO or the ICBWG Chairperson.

New Technologies Working Group (NTWG)

The NTWG develops strategy, policy, specifications and guidance material in relation to the manufacture, security, testing, issuance, deployment and globally interoperable use of MRTDs in both physical and electronic form and global data sharing/exchange for the purpose of holder identification, document validation and secure border control. The Group conducts ongoing research into technology suitable for deployment in MRTDs, issuance and border control environments, and information sharing initiatives and supports the Secretariat in ensuring ICAO Doc 9303 is current and relevant in a changing environment. In addition, it provides support to the ICAO PKD Board. 

The Group also provides services such as: 

• communications and outreach support to the ICAO Secretariat through a communications sub-group the NTWG and assists in the development and maintenance of an effective MRTD related communications strategy;
• prepares media oriented information material on topical issues;
• provides or identifies sources of expert advice to assist the Secretariat in responding to questions from ICAO member States;
• promotes specifications, standards and ICAO mandates and initiatives;
• develops material and identifying speakers to support organised outreach and educational activity;
• prepares and or identifies material for publication on the ICAO TRIP Platform; and
• assists in the development and maintenance of relationships with organisations that have similar or compatible objectives.