Paris : Never have the words “Business, Innovation, Discovery” more aptly described the CARTES & IDentification Trade Show — the world No. 1 event in digital security, smart technology, payment and contactless — to be held in Paris from 15 to 17 November 2011. At this real hub of innovation, an expected 20,000 visitors and 1,300 delegates will be the very first to discover all the latest international smart technologies and identification market news from the 450 companies present at the benchmark event. For this 2011 edition, Turkey will be in the spotlight.

With each edition of its 26-year history, CARTES has established itself increasingly as the sector’s business event of choice, where international suppliers can meet decision makers in the areas of payment, security, telecoms, electronics and information technology, administration and distribution. Ever more international, with 142 countries participating, CARTES is the reflection of a very dynamic market.

At the heart of innovation in payments

With the deployment of contactless technology, the advent of NFC terminals for payment by mobile, the growing need for secure electronic transactions and innovative financial services, the payment card industry will be at the forefront of the development and sharing of new technology solutions in 2011.

Contactless payment will be the subject of a round table discussion organised during the trade show’s launch presentation, to be held on 26th May at 9:00 at the Hotel Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme.

IDentification: Issues increasing on a world scale

The introduction of electronic identity cards in several European countries1, the projects around digital identity and the fight against cybercrime are promoting the development of identification technologies. The IDentification sector is an opportunity to highlight the latest innovations in biometrics and authentication solutions, with significant potential applications.

The great potential of M2M

New business opportunities will again be represented at the trade show this year with applications in M2M and the Internet of Things. Although millions of machines already communicate with each other, M2M technology is merely at the beginning of its enormous potential for growth.

The use of home automation, smart meters and the management of health records, require greater protection of private data, control of their integrity, strong authentication with secure data and “over-the-air” applications.

Turkey in the spotlight

With a leading European market in ATMs, up 40% over the last 5 years in terms of cards produced, and the dynamic introduction of new contactless solutions and loyalty programs, Turkey offers numerous opportunities for development.

Delegations of Top Buyers, a specific focus at the conference and new partners will showcase this exciting market.

Turkey has indeed already proven its ability to innovate in the field of smart cards — a growing rapidly sector in the country. With a population of 77.8 million, including 63 million mobile phone users, Turkey represents a great potential for the payment industry. The adoption of contactless technology is growing in urban areas and looks set to progress still further as banks compete to conquer the growing urban youth segment.

CARTES & IDentification 2011, also means…

The Conference: cutting-edge presentations

A real concentration of information and expertise, the three-day Conference brings together 1,300 delegates to discuss the latest technical developments, marketing and strategic issues and hear feedback on concrete case studies. Based on themes related to cards and also identification, the 140 presentations on NFC and contactless, card security, debit and credit cards, manufacturing of cards, identification, M2M applications, etc. are the best way to assess the market and an indispensable addition to a tour of the stands. Over the years the Conference has become the forum of choice for communication between leading industrialists in the sector and international decision-makers.

The World Card Summit: leaders in the sector speak out

The trade show’s opening presentation will play host to the leading CEOs in the sector. They will share their vision of the market and their views on the future of their industry, while Eurosmart will exclusively announce its latest figures. This presentation, the highlight of the Conference, attracted more than 400 people last year.

The SESAMES Awards

Established as undisputed badges of innovation, global benchmarks for smart card and identification manufacturers, the SESAMES Awards represent a real promotional springboard and afford the winners a reputation and credibility guaranteeing their project’s success.

Selected by a panel of experts, the Awards will be presented to the best projects in various categories: Hardware, Software, ID/ID Cards, Computer Security, Transportation, Banking/Business/Fidelity, Mobility, Trusted Internet/Authentication, e-transactions and finally Production & Tests.

This competition is open to all innovative projects from the relevant sectors and continues to attract increasing numbers of candidates. In 2010, 395 projects were submitted, with 10 winners.

The Steering Committee

The Steering Committee of CARTES & IDentification is composed of leading companies in the industry of digital security card and identification: Ask, Gemalto, Giesecke & Devrient, HID, Infineon, Ingenico, Morpho, NXP, Oberthur Technologies, ST Microelectronics, Visa