1. Where photographs, facial images and dactyloscopic data are available in an alert in SIS, such photographs, facial images and dactyloscopic data shall be used to confirm the identity of a person who has been located as a result of an alphanumeric search made in SIS.
2. Dactyloscopic data may be searched in all cases to identify a person. However, dactyloscopic data shall be searched to identify a person where the identity of the person cannot be ascertained by other means. For that purpose, the Central SIS shall contain an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS).
3. Dactyloscopic data in SIS in relation to alerts entered in accordance with Articles 24 and 25 may also be searched using complete or incomplete sets of fingerprints or palm prints discovered at the scenes of serious crimes or terrorist offences under investigation, where it can be established to a high degree of probability that those sets of prints belong to a perpetrator of the offence and provided that the search is carried out simultaneously in the Member State's relevant national fingerprints databases.
4. As soon as it becomes technically possible, and while ensuring a high degree of reliability of identification, photographs and facial images may be used to identify a person in the context of regular border crossing points.
Before this functionality is implemented in SIS, the Commission shall present a report on the availability, readiness and reliability of the required technology. The European Parliament shall be consulted on the report.
After the start of the use of the functionality at regular border crossing points, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 61 to supplement this Regulation concerning the determination of other circumstances in which photographs and facial images may be used to identify persons.