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A political agreement has been  reached on the EC’s proposals to strengthen the Schengen Information System Schengen Information System (SIS) – Europe's most widely used information sharing system for security and border management. 

Consulted over 5 billion times by national authorities in 2017, the reinforced SIS will help border guards to better monitor who is crossing the EU's borders; support police and law enforcement in capturing dangerous criminals and terrorists; and offer greater protection for missing children and vulnerable adults, in line with the new data protection rules.

Welcoming the agreement Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and CitizenshipDimitris Avramopoulos, said: “The Schengen Information System is a vital instrument for enhancing our internal security and strengthening the management of the EU's external borders. The system lies at the heart of Schengen. With the new obligatory alerts for terrorist suspects, new alerts on return decisions and stronger interoperability with other systems for security, borders and migration management, it will help preserve free movement and the very essence of Schengen for our citizens, knowing that their Union is protecting them."

Commissioner for the Security Union Julian King said: “A strengthened SIS will provide police and border guards with the information they need to do their jobs and help keep Europeans safe. It is the centrepiece of information exchange in Europe and the main law enforcement database in the EU, and has contributed to almost 40,000 arrests and 200,000 serious criminals being tracked down. We have been making the SIS stronger and smarter – for example with the launch of the Automated Fingerprint Identification System earlier this year – and it will in future be a key pillar underpinning the interoperability of the EU's information systems.”

The full Statement from the European Commission including details on the foreseen improvements to SIS, the next steps and background information can be read here:

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-18-4133_en.htm