SIST-TS CEN/TS 18212-2:2026

Personal identification - Requirements for biometric products - Part 2: Interoperability tests

The CEN/TS 18212 series specifies a generic framework for the establishment of requirements and their evaluation methodology for biometric products. The requirements depend on the biometric mode considered, and are adapted to each scenario, through the definition of a variety of application profiles (APs).
This series of standards are expected to provide the evaluation methodology, the individual tests, and the APs (with their particular requirements).
This document specifies:
-   tests for evaluating the interoperability of all biometric input data (received or read);
-   test for evaluating the interoperability of all biometric output data (stored or transmitted);
-   test for evaluating the interoperability of all exchange of information between the TOE and external components or devices.
NOTE 1   Additional parts are provided covering the specifics of each biometric mode. For each of these modalities, application-independent tests are defined, as well as a set of APs, that detail the applicable tests, the evaluation parameters, and the passing criteria.
The Technical Specifications within this series can be taken by any certification body and/or sector, to define and evaluate the requirements for their biometric products within their selected applications.
NOTE 2   Regarding biometrics for public sector applications, see also BSI TR 03121 [2] which can apply.
NOTE 3   For an overview of sectors addressed in the Cybersecurity Act, see Regulation (EU) 2019/881.
NOTE 4   This part defines all potential tests that could be applicable when evaluating the interoperability of a biometric product. It will be the relevant AP, the one that will specify which of these tests are applicable.

Persönliche Identifikation - Anforderungen an biometrische Produkte - Teil 2: Test zur Interoperabilität

Identification personnelle - Exigences relatives aux produits biométriques - Partie 2: Essais d'interopérabilité

Osebna identifikacija - Zahteve za biometrične izdelke - 2. del: Preskus interoperabilnosti

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 10-Feb-2026
• ICS: 35.240.15 - Identification cards. Chip cards. Biometrics
• Technical Committee: ITC - Information technology
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 23-Apr-2026
• Due Date: 28-Jun-2026
• Ref Project: CEN/TS 18212-2:2026 - Personal identification - Requirements for biometric products - Part 2: Interoperability tests

Overview

kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2026 defines interoperability test requirements for biometric products within the broader CEN/TS 18212 series, developed by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). This technical specification focuses on the evaluation methodology and specific tests to determine the interoperability of biometric input and output data, as well as the exchange of information between the Target of Evaluation (TOE) and external devices. The goal is to ensure biometric systems can reliably interact with other products and systems in diverse application scenarios, supporting compatibility across different vendors, technologies, and sectors.

Interoperability underpins the secure, auditable, and universal use of personal identification and biometric recognition in remote services, public administration, banking, digital identification, and other critical areas. The specification establishes a framework for defining practical requirements through application profiles (APs), which tailor the test scope and parameters for each deployment context and biometric modality.

Key Topics

• Interoperability Testing: Standardized methodologies for evaluating how biometric systems handle data exchange and interconnection. Tests are structured to verify input/output data conformance and interoperability of information exchange between systems.
• Input Data Interoperability: Ensures biometric products can accurately receive, process, and validate input data according to standard formats (e.g., ISO/IEC 19794, ISO/IEC 39794), including conformance and rejection of non-compliant or poor-quality data.
• Output Data Interoperability: Evaluates whether the biometric system outputs conformant and high-quality biometric data, compatible with other systems or database storage requirements.
• Exchange with External Devices: Assessment of protocols and data exchange mechanisms used to interface with external modules or systems, leveraging existing standards where applicable.
• Application Profiles (APs): APs define the applicable tests, relevant parameters, and pass/fail criteria for specific biometric product scenarios, supporting a tailored and flexible approach to evaluation.

Applications

kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2026 is practical for a wide range of applications where biometric product interoperability is critical:

• Public Sector Services: Facilitates secure e-government and online citizen interactions, ensuring compatibility with national and European frameworks.
• Banking and Financial Services: Supports robust identity verification and fraud protection by ensuring biometric systems can work across platforms and providers.
• Border Control and Security: Ensures interoperability of biometric passport readers, cameras, and other systems involved in identity management.
• Health and Social Services: Enables integration and trusted identity verification in sensitive environments where privacy and reliability are paramount.
• Certification and Compliance: Certification bodies and product vendors can leverage the standard to ensure products meet regulatory and sectoral interoperability requirements.

This standard benefits vendors, integrators, and end-users by providing a consistent, technology-agnostic approach to interoperability, reducing integration risks and enhancing system reliability and scalability.

Related Standards

CEN/TS 18212-2 references and aligns with several internationally recognized standards, reinforcing its applicability:

• ISO/IEC 19794/39794 series: Biometric data interchange formats providing technical rules for data structure.
• ISO/IEC 2382-37: Vocabulary and definitions related to biometrics.
• ISO/IEC 29794: Standards focused on biometric sample quality.
• ISO/IEC 30108: Identity Assurance Services for biometric systems.
• BSI TR 03121: Guidelines for biometric systems in the public sector.
• Regulation (EU) 2019/881 (Cybersecurity Act): Outlines relevant sector requirements.
• eIDAS Regulation: Trusted electronic identification and signature requirements (contextual relevance).

Adopting kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2026 ensures alignment with best practices in biometric interoperability, supporting seamless integration, certification, and compliance in demanding digital identity ecosystems.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2026
01-februar-2026
Osebna identifikacija - Zahteve za biometrične izdelke - 2. del: Preskus
interoperabilnosti
Personal identification - Requirements for biometric products - Part 2: Interoperability
tests
Persönliche Identifikation - Anforderungen an biometrische Produkte - Teil 2: Test zur
Interoperabilität
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: FprCEN/TS 18212-2
ICS:
35.240.15 Identifikacijske kartice. Čipne Identification cards. Chip
kartice. Biometrija cards. Biometrics
kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2026 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2026

kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2026

FINAL DRAFT
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
FprCEN/TS 18212-2
SPÉCIFICATION TECHNIQUE
TECHNISCHE SPEZIFIKATION
November 2025
ICS 35.240.15
English Version
Personal identification - Requirements for biometric
products - Part 2: Interoperability tests
Persönliche Identifikation - Anforderungen an
biometrische Produkte - Teil 2: Test zur
Interoperabilität
This draft Technical Specification is submitted to CEN members for Vote. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 224.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a Technical Specification. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change
without notice and shall not be referred to as a Technical Specification.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2025 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2025 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2026
FprCEN/TS 18212-2 (E)
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Acronyms and abbreviated terms . 7
5 Interoperability issues in biometric systems . 7
6 Input data interoperability tests . 8
6.1 General . 8
6.2 Digital inputs interoperability tests . 8
6.2.1 T1.1.1.1 Level 1 conformance . 8
6.2.2 T1.1.1.2 Level 1 non-conformance . 8
6.2.3 T1.1.1.3 Level 2 conformance . 8
6.2.4 T1.1.1.4 Level 2 non-conformance . 9
6.2.5 T1.1.1.5 Level 3 conformance based on particular use-cases . 9
6.2.6 T1.1.1.6 Level 3 non-conformance based on particular use-cases . 9
6.2.7 T1.1.1.7 Bad quality inputs . 9
6.3 Subject presentations interoperability tests . 9
6.3.1 T1.1.2.1 Bona-fide presentations with subjects that present good quality samples . 9
6.3.2 T1.1.2.2 Presentations with bad quality samples . 9
7 Output data interoperability tests . 10
7.1 General . 10
7.2 T1.2.1 Level 1 conformance of output data . 10
7.3 T1.2.2 Level 2 conformance of output data . 10
7.4 T1.2.3 Quality evaluation of output data . 10
8 Interoperability of exchanged information between TOE and external devices . 10
Bibliography . 12
kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2026
FprCEN/TS 18212-2 (E)
European foreword
This document (FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 224
"Personal identificätion and related personal devices with secure elements, systems, operations and
privacy in a multi sectorial environment", the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This document is currently submitted to the Vote on TS.
kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2026
FprCEN/TS 18212-2 (E)
Introduction
The use of remote services has increased significäntly. This was boosted during 2020-2021, when many
service providers and administrations migrated most of their processes to online handling. Many online
services can now be found, such as opening of a bank account, claiming expenses, paying taxes, starting
legal actions, etc.
For all these services there is the need of identifying the persons claiming for that service, and doing it
in a comfortable, universal, reliable and auditable way. Even though some of those services, in some
countries, were deployed using public key infrastructures (PKIs), as recommended by eIDAS[1], this
approach was far away from being used by a significänt part of the population.
Biometric recognition has been considered as a technology to solve the binding between the system
and the consumer. Adding biometric recognition to all kind of systems is a common practice nowadays.
In this context, service providers and administrations define their own requirements, select the
products and deploy the solution. On the other hand, manufacturers needed to implement different
solutions to different customers, in order to fulfil each of those requirement sets. Both sides would
benefit from standards and regulations, on which to rely for the product definition.
Everybody benefits from having a common way of defining those requirements, and a detailed
evaluation methodology.
This document is addressing this need for the case of biometric products, analysing and merging all
current works, and defining a detailed set of requirements, a biometric-mode-specific evaluation
methodology, and the passing criteria for different application profiles. This document has been
developed with consideration for GDPR principles.
Application profiles (APs) are targeting the evaluation of a specific range of products using biometric
recognition. APs are the baseline for checking conformity with the CEN/TS 18212 series.Indeed, a
product manufacturer (PM), product vendor (PV) or sponsor can ask a conformity assessment body
(CAB) for the evaluation of a specific product to check its conformity according to the CEN/TS 18212
series and a specific AP at a certain level of assurance (basic, substantial or high).
These objectives are reached by the development of a multipart Technical Specificätion with the
following structure:
— Parts 1-3: Defining the generic principles and methodologies, not requiring a biometric mode
specific approach.
In particular these parts will be:
— Part 1: General requirements and application profile definition
— Part 2: Interoperability tests
— Part 3: Functionality evaluation methodology
— Parts 4-n: Defining the particularities of each biometric mode (e.g. specific tests, specific
requirements), and containing, each of the parts, a set of APs, that will establish the test and
requirements applicable for a specific application and context. Those APs will be written as
individual annexes, following the structure provided in Part 1.
For example, these parts can be:
— Part 4: Fingerprint biometrics
— Part 5: Face biometrics
kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2026
FprCEN/TS 18212-2 (E)
This part is devoted to the definition of those tests needed to evaluate the interoperability capabilities
of a biometric product. These tests should be executed prior, or in parallel, to the other tests defined in
Parts 4-n, which follow the methodology defined in Part 3.
kSIST-TS FprCEN/TS 18212-2:2026
FprCEN/TS 18212-2 (E)
1 Scope
The CEN/TS 18212 series specifies a generic framework for the establishment of requirements and
their evaluation methodology for biometric products. The requirements depend on the biometric mode
considered, and are adapted to each scenario, through the definition of a variety of application profiles
(APs).
This series of standards are expected to provide the evaluation methodology, the individual tests, and
the APs (with their particular requirements).
This document specifies:
— tests for evaluating the interoperability of all biometric input data (received or read);
— test for evaluating the interoperability of all biometric output data (stored or transmitted);
— test for evaluating the interoperability of all exchange of information between the TOE and external
components or devices.
NOTE 1 Additional parts are provided covering the specifics of each biometric mode. For each of these
modalities, application-independent tests are defined, as well as a set of APs, that detail the applicable tests, the
evaluation parameters, and the passing criteria.
The Technical Specificätions within this series can be taken by any certificätion body and/or sector, to
define and evaluate the requirements for their biometric products within their selected applications.
NOTE 2 Regarding biometrics for public sector applications, see also BSI TR 03121 [2] which can apply.
NOTE 3 For an overview of sectors addressed in the Cybersecurity Act, see Regulation (EU) 2019/881.
NOTE 4 This part defines all potential tests that could be applicable when evaluating the interoperability of a
biometric product. It will be the relevant AP, the one that will specify which of these tests are applicable.
2 Normative references
The following documents are ref
...