On 4-5 June 2026, the Optimised Risk-based Intelligence-driven Operations for Next-generation Secure, Reliable and Privacy-preserving Border Management (ORION) Horizon Europe project held its Plenary Meeting in Chania, Crete, hosted by the Hellenic Mediterranean University. The meeting brought together partners from across Europe to review progress, align activities, and prepare the next steps of the project.
Ahead of the plenary, ORION was featured in a Special Session of the 7th International Conference in Electronic Engineering & Information Technology (EEITE), where several partners presented the technologies being developed within the project to the wider research community. UIC was represented by Paula Fernandez Diaz, Security Advisor, who presented ORION’s main goals and planned activities. Other contributions highlighted key innovations in areas such as intelligent border management systems and advanced security technologies, helping to strengthen the project’s scientific visibility.
During the two-day plenary meeting, discussions focused on both operational and technical progress. Partners shared information on operational needs and gap analysis, alongside ongoing developments in identity verification, vehicle screening, privacy-preserving data processing, resource allocation, and the overall system architecture.
A key part of the meeting was dedicated to the project’s pilot activities, which will validate ORION solutions in real operational environments. These include use cases such as the management of embarkation processes at roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) ferry terminals, improved risk assessment at land borders, and seamless identity verification at train stations. Strong emphasis was placed on ensuring that solutions meet end-user needs and are ready for real-world deployment. The railway pilot project will be hosted by Eurostar and UIC will support its implementation.
The consortium also addressed communication, dissemination, and stakeholder engagement, led by the UIC Security Department, recognising their importance in maximising the project’s impact and ensuring the uptake of its results.
Bringing together research organisations, industry partners, and public authorities, the ORION project continues to develop innovative solutions to improve the efficiency and security of border management, while maintaining full respect for privacy, ethics, and data protection.
We invite all readers to stay connected and follow the project’s progress, events, and results by following us on LinkedIn at: ORION – Horizon Europe Project and visiting the project’s website.
