27.9.2006 Official Journal of the European Union L 267/41 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 22 September 2006 laying down the technical specifications on the standards for biometric features related to the development of the Visa Information System (notified under document number C(2006) 3699) (Only the Czech, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, and Hungarian versions are authentic) (2006/648/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Decision 2004/512/EC of 8 June 2004 establishing the Visa Information System (VIS) (), and in particular Article 4 thereof, Whereas: (1) Decision 2004/512[EC established the VIS as a system for the exchange of visa data between Member States and gives the mandate to the Commission to develop the VIS, consisting of the Central Visa Information System, a National Interface in each Member State and the commu- nication infrastructure between the Central Visa Infor- mation System and the National Interfaces. It is appropriate that the development of the VIS includes preparatory measures necessary for biometric features to be incorporated at a later stage. The Council conclusions of 19-20 February 2004 on the development of the Visa Information System (VIS) set forth the requirement for biometric identifiers to be coherent with the Central Visa Information System. The Council conclusions of 17 February 2005 on the inclusion of biometric data in visas and residence permits invite the Commission to make the necessary efforts to bring forward to 2006 the activation of () O] L 213, 15.6.2004, p. 5. biometric identifiers in the development of the central part of the VIS. It is necessary to set forth technical specifications on the standards for biometric features used for the deve- lopment of the VIS so that Member States can take preparatory actions for connecting their national systems to the Central Visa Information System. The quality and reliability of biometric identifiers is of the highest importance. It is therefore necessary to define the technical standards that will allow meeting these requirements of quality and reliability. This will have serious financial and technical implications for the Member States. This decision does not create any new standards; it is coherent with ICAO standards. In accordance with Council Decision 2000/365/EC of 29 May 2000 concerning the request of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen acquis (%), the United Kingdom has not taken part in the adoption of Decision 2004/512/EC and is not bound by it or subject to its application as it constitutes a development of provisions of the Schengen acquis. The United Kingdom is therefore not an addressee of this Commission decision. () O] L 131, 1.6.2000, p. 43.