The contract involves 600,000 devices to be supplied by 2016. Gemalto has already delivered a first batch of 50,000 products to Cetis, who will deploy the corresponding number of e-passports by year’s end. In Slovenia, which has approximately 2 million inhabitants, citizens of all ages travelling abroad must carry a personal ID or passport. By migrating to chip-enabled travel documents, Slovenia is complying with the European Union’s mandate requiring its member states to adopt the technology by August 2006. The technology provided by Gemalto includes a highly secure operating system with advanced cryptographic features running on a large capacity contactless chip. Gemalto’s solution is designed to support governments and its secure printing agencies and partners in their migration to chip-enabled passports. This complete program also includes assistance to booklet machine manufacturers and national printing offices in mass producing and personalizing electronic passports using the industry leader’s experience in security. “With Gemalto’s technology, Cetis will be able to achieve distribution of electronic passports that offer the highest levels of security,” commented Jacques Seneca, President Europe at Gemalto. “This new success reinforces Gemalto’s position as a major player in the field of e-ID programs, and further strengthens Gemalto’s presence in Central Europe.” www.gemalto.com