Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/2281 of 13 November 2025 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2470 as regards technical specifications for the quality, resolution and processing of facial images, necessary for the technical development and implementation of the centralised system for the identification of Member States holding conviction information on third-country nationals and stateless persons (ECRIS-TCN)

‘1 Where alphanumeric data together with either fingerprint data or the facial image of a person, or with both, are included in a data record created in ECRIS-TCN in accordance with Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2019/816, the alphanumeric data shall be linked to their corresponding fingerprint data and facial image.’

‘4 The facial images compression algorithm used shall follow the recommendations of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (“NIST”). Facial images shall be compressed only once with the following compression conditions: (a) compressed with JPG (ISO/IEC 10918) or JPEG 2000 (ISO/IEC 15444) image compression standard and coding system; (b) a 20:1 maximum allowed image compression ratio.’

1 When entering or modifying alphanumeric data, fingerprint data or facial images in ECRIS-TCN the central authority of the convicting Member State shall use a data quality verification mechanism or its equivalent in their national ECRIS implementation software referred to in Article 4(4) to (7) of Regulation (EU) 2019/816.

2 The data quality verification mechanism referred to in paragraph 1 shall be integrated into the ECRIS reference implementation, developed as a software application and established in the ECRIS-TCN central system.

3 eu-LISA shall be responsible for the development, maintenance and updating of the data quality verification mechanism, pursuant to Article 11(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/816.

4 Where Member States do not make use of the data quality verification mechanism referred to in paragraph 1 and use instead its equivalent in their national ECRIS implementation software, they shall ensure that it guarantees the same alphanumeric data, fingerprints data and facial images quality verification as that data quality verification mechanism.’

1 The data quality verification process shall apply to all facial images entered into or modified in ECRIS-TCN, and shall ensure that at least the following conditions are met: (a) only one facial image is provided in the NIST file and is submitted in accordance with the ANSI/NIST-ITL 1-2011 Update 2015 standard, or any newer version available; (b) the facial images are either grayscale, colour or near infrared; (c) the quality of the facial images is based on the image requirements of ISO/IEC 19794-5:2011 Frontal image type, or any newer version available; (d) the NIST file allows the inclusion of complementary information, including the date when the image was taken; (e) the facial images, in portrait mode, are at a minimum resolution of 600 pixels by 800 pixels and a maximum resolution of 1200 pixels by 1600 pixels; (f) the face occupies a space within the image which ensures a minimum of 120 pixels between the centre of each eye.

2 Facial images, entered into or modified in ECRIS-TCN, which do not comply with the conditions set out in paragraph 1, shall be rejected by ECRIS-TCN and shall neither be stored nor processed.’;

This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.