IDEMIA Public Security and Sopra Steria Launch Successful Go-Live of shared Biometric Matching System with eu-LISA

As market leaders and long-standing partners of European institutions and governments, IDEMIA Public Security and Sopra Steria led the design and implementation of the new shared Biometric Matching System for eu-LISA.

COURBEVOIE, France, Aug. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- IDEMIA Public Security, the leading provider of secure and trusted biometric-based solutions and Sopra Steria, a leading European-based consulting, digital services, and software development company, have successfully completed the go-live of eu-LISA's new shared Biometric Matching System (sBMS). This achievement marks an important milestone in the roll-out of the Interoperability Roadmap by the EU Agency responsible for the management of large-scale IT systems in the Justice and Home Affairs domain.

IDEMIA Public Security and Sopra Steria led the design and implementation of the new sBMS, the EU's central biometric matching system that stores and compares biometric data such as fingerprints and facial images. The sBMS, together with the other interoperable large-scale IT systems of eu-LISA, aims to fight irregular immigration and trans-border crime, enhancing the efficiency and security of Schengen Area border and migration management. For example, when third-country nationals come into Europe for the first time, they will be registered and searched against systems defined in the applicable EU legislation; national authorities will then be able to check whether these nationals are the persons they claim to be through biometric operations against sBMS.

The system was launched together with eu-LISA's Visa Information System (VIS), a large-scale IT system that supports the implementation of the EU's common visa policy; VIS also facilitates checks at external borders and will be connected with other EU information systems in the future, such as the upcoming European Entry/Exit System (EES). The forthcoming EES will include biometric verifications and identifications of travelers based on their facial images and fingerprints. At the end of the implementation of the interoperability architecture, sBMS will be one of the largest biometric systems in the world.

With IDEMIA Public Security's best-in-class biometric technology and highly-ranked algorithms across all modalities, combined with Sopra Steria's competencies as a European leader in digital transformation and Homeland Security, the pair was selected by eu-LISA to build the sBMS for border protection of the Schengen Area in 2020.

As a market leader in the travel and transport industry, focusing on accurate and efficient technology solutions that deliver the highest level of performance and enhance border control operations and identity verification in high-risk environments, IDEMIA was equipped to contribute to one of the largest scale biometric databases, ensuring accuracy and fast response times.

"We are excited to partner with eu-LISA and advance our mission of enabling secure, seamless, and personalized digital passenger journeys for travelers across the world," shared Tim Ferris, SVP, Travel & Transport, IDEMIA Public Security. "With our work to design and implement the sBMS, Europe will manage one of the largest biometric systems in the world. This is another example of how IDEMIA's technology can make the world a safer place more than ever before, and we're proud to play a critical role in this journey."

"Sopra Steria is honored to be a longstanding and trusted partner of the EU Agency, contributing to the successful implementation of critical large-scale IT systems. The accomplished go-live of the shared Biometric Matching System (sBMS) represents a significant milestone in the realization of the EU's Interoperability Architecture, reinforcing our joint commitment to enhancing security and operational efficiency across Europe," said Michel Lorgéré, Deputy CEO, Sopra Steria Belgium.

As long-standing partners of European institutions and governments, IDEMIA Public Security and Sopra Steria have supported the European Union for more than 20 years in the management of mission-critical IT systems to enhance security within the Schengen area. IDEMIA Public Security delivers innovative, secure and trustworthy biometric travel solutions that streamline travel and border operations, optimize processes, enhance decision making, and enable seamless, personalized, digital passenger journeys. Sopra Steria is actively shaping Europe in the domain of Justice and Home Affairs with profound expertise in Central EU systems, national interfaces and national systems. As a true end-to-end player spanning a comprehensive range of services to drive impactful change through innovative solutions Sopra Steria partners with more than 50 government departments and 60 public bodies across Europe.

About IDEMIA Group
IDEMIA Group is a global technology leader with more than 12,500 employees worldwide. Its two market-leading divisions deliver mission-critical solutions that simplify and secure interactions in the physical and digital realms:

• IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) is the leading technology provider making it safer and easier to pay and connect. With unmatched expertise in cryptography and credential issuance, IST is trusted by over 2000 financial institutions, mobile operators, automotive manufacturers, and IoT providers worldwide. Every day, IST secures billions of essential transactions, ensuring the highest levels of data protection and convenience.
• IDEMIA Public Security is a trusted provider of government-grade and convenient biometric-based solutions for 600 government, state and federal agencies. With decades of experience in biometric technologies, IPS enables safer, frictionless and fairer ways to secure travel, access and citizen protection.

For more information, please visit www.idemia.com.

Media contact:
Genevieve de Vera
IDEMIA Public Security
(978) 808-7047
[email protected]

About Sopra Steria
Sopra Steria, a major Tech player in Europe with 50,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, is recognised for its consulting, digital services and solutions. It helps its clients drive their digital transformation and obtain tangible and sustainable benefits. The Group provides end-to-end solutions to make large companies and organisations more competitive by combining in-depth knowledge of a wide range of business sectors and innovative technologies with a collaborative approach. Sopra Steria places people at the heart of everything it does and is committed to putting digital to work for its clients in order to build a positive future for all. In 2024, the Group generated revenues of €5.8 billion.

The world is how we shape it
Sopra Steria (SOP) is listed on Euronext Paris (Compartment A) – ISIN: FR0000050809 For more information, visit us at www.soprasteria.com

Press contacts
Sopra Steria
Marleen Rechsteiner
[email protected]
+31 (0) 644654824

SOURCE IDEMIA