How Big of a Problem is This

From the AP:

Germans were ordered Thursday to stay serious when having their photographs taken for new passports, wiping away any grins, smirks or smiles so that biometric scanners can pick up their facial features.

Interior Minister Otto Schily ordered passport authorities to only accept pictures taken from the front showing the "most neutral facial expression possible," starting Nov. 1.

Has there really been a problem with Germans smiling too much throughout history? I mean, wouldn't the rest of the world rather see this
Than this?