Updated Schengen Information System Launched

The European Commission (EC) announced on Tuesday the activation of the updated Schengen Information System (SIS). According to a communication from the EC, SIS is the "largest information exchange system for security and border control in Europe," as reported by Interfax.ru.

It provides information about wanted or missing persons, as well as citizens of third countries who do not have the legal right to stay in the EU, and about lost or stolen items (such as vehicles, firearms, boats, and identity documents).

"The updated SIS is the foundation of the most advanced border control system in the world that we are building. Together with the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), SIS will become part of the interoperability (border security) architecture," states the EC announcement.

The expanded capabilities of SIS include new categories of information, including additional biometric data, DNA data of missing persons, as well as additional tools for combating crime and terrorism.

The update of the Schengen Information System, the EC notes, will effectively alert about the need for the protection of vulnerable individuals and the detection of illegal migration. This modernization aims to provide "national authorities with more complete and reliable information to enhance security in Europe and improve border control."

All categories of alerts found in SIS are now accessible to Europol and national immigration authorities. Access to SIS has been granted to working groups of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex). The EC emphasizes that "SIS has strict requirements for quality and data protection." To date, the updated SIS operates in 30 European countries (26 EU member states and associated Schengen countries). In the summer of 2023, Cyprus, also an EU member, will join the system.