Brussels, 05/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 9 April the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II) will be launched, after more than seven years delay and with an additional cost of several million euro.
On 7 March, EU ministers of home affairs approved a decision in Brussels finally making the system operational after several late countries, such as Finland, have managed to adapt their infrastructure. SIS II is a large scale information system containing particulars of people and property. It will be used by border guards, customs staff and authorities in charge of visas and keeping order in the Schengen area.
SIS II is composed of a central system (the central SIS II) which is managed by the European Commission, of a national system (the N SIS II) in every member state (the national data systems, which will be linked to the central SIS II) and of a communication infrastructure between the central system and the national systems. Although the project aims to make police cooperation more effective and to strengthen border security by developing the exchange of information between the competent authorities, it continues to be criticised. Some countries that are associate members of Schengen, like Switzerland, have criticised the project over-running its original €15 million budget to around €160 million.
At the European Parliament, SIS II does not please everyone either, with the MEP in charge of this matter, Carlo Coehlo (EPP, Portugal), also deploring the project's budget over-run. He has called on the Commission to estimate properly the cost of projects it puts on the negotiating table in future. (SP/transl.fl)