Proposals on reinforcing the Schengen Information System

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Publication Date 2016-2018
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Summary:

The European Commission adopted on 21 December 2016 a legislative package aimed at strengthening the operational effectiveness and efficiency of the Schengen Information System (SIS), in the framework of the implementation of a Security Union.

The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament reached an informal agreement on this set of proposals on 12 June 2018. The Council formally endorsed the compromise texts on 19 November.

Further information:

The Schengen Information System (SIS) is a large-scale, centralised information system that supports checks at the external Schengen borders and improves law enforcement and judicial cooperation in 29 countries throughout Europe.

This package was a follow-up to the Commission's April 2016 Communication on stronger and smarter information systems for borders and security. The set of proposals included the following initiatives:

The proposed improvements would further enhance the ability of the system to fight terrorism and cross-border crime, improve border and migration management and ensure an effective information exchange between Member States to increase the security of European citizens.

The proposals also aimed to strengthen the protection of personal data, bringing it into line with the Data Protection Regulation, and to improve the security of the system, with strict legal requirements for uninterrupted operations, incident management processes and better training for end-users. National supervisory authorities and the European Data Protection Supervisor are given an explicit role in ensuring that data is protected properly and Member States are liable for penalties if breaches cause damage to a person.

Related Links
News
The Sofia Globe, 12.06.18: Bulgarian EU Presidency and European Parliament in deal on Schengen Information System updated rules https://sofiaglobe.com/2018/06/12/bulgarian-eu-presidency-and-european-parliament-in-deal-on-schengen-information-system-updated-rules/
ERR News, 08.11.17: EU states agree on common position for updating Schengen Information System http://news.err.ee/641490/eu-states-agree-on-common-position-for-updating-schengen-information-system

Official
European Commission: Security Union: Technical and operational updates of the Schengen Information System [Q&A] http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-4427_en.htm
European Commission: Remarks by Commissioners Avramopoulos, Jourová and King at the press conference on terrorism financing, the Schengen Information System and visa reciprocity http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-16-4492_en.htm
Council of the European Union: Press Release, 12.06.18: Schengen information system: agreement between the Council Presidency and the European Parliament http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/06/12/schengen-information-system-agreement-between-the-council-presidency-and-the-european-parliament/
European Parliament: Press Release, 12.06.18: Security Union: political agreement on strengthened Schengen Information System http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20180612IPR05604/
Council of the European Union: Press Release, 08.11.17: Schengen information system: Council agrees negotiating position http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/11/08/schengen-information-system-council-agrees-negotiating-position/
European Commission: Commission welcomes agreement on a reinforced Schengen Information System http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-18-4133_en.htm
European Commission: Press Release, 21.12.16: Commission proposes to reinforce the Schengen Information System to better fight terrorism and cross-border crime http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-4402_en.htm
Council of the European Union: Press Release, 19.11.18: Council adopts new rules to strengthen security in the EU https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/11/19/schengen-information-system-council-adopts-new-rules-to-strengthen-security-in-the-eu/

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