On Monday 6 November, the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee (LIBE) adopted three new draft regulations to modernise the Schengen Information System (SIS) and introduce new alert warnings.
On Monday 6 November, the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee (LIBE) adopted three new draft regulations to modernise the Schengen Information System (SIS) and introduce new alert warnings.
These initiatives were proposed at the end of 2016 (see EUROPE 11694) and seek to enhance the SIS’s efficiency, particularly in the detection of terrorist threats. A draft regulation is also expected to help the police authorities to obtain better information about return decisions decided by the member states involving third country nationals.
The new rules adopted on Monday evening include: an obligation on member states to rapidly share details about terrorist attack with other EU countries; a preventative alert system that provides a warning, for example, about children who are at a high risk of being abducted by a parent; an automatic warning to all national authorities when an entry ban has been issued by a member state; a new alarm system involving “unknown people being pursued” in an effort to help the police authorities access SIS information about people whose digital prints have been found at the scene of a crime.
In a press release LIBE also explained that the new rules also include compulsory data sharing regarding digital prints, biometric hand readers, facial imaging and DNA with all the national authorities in charge of applying the law, explained the LIBE in a press release.
The committee explains that with the new system, ID checks in the Schengen Information System will be based on alphanumeric research (name and date of birth) and the digital prints can only be used to check and confirm the identity of an individual that has already been identified by their name.
With regard to return to decisions taken against people residing illegally, member states will be obliged to enter all return decisions issued into the SIS. A new alert system will also be set up to inform national bodies when the “voluntary departure” period (the period when the person concerned is requested to leave the EU) expires. The national authorities will still be obliged to inform the member state that issued a warning that the third country national has left the EU.
MEPs adopted with 40 votes in favour, 5 against and 8 abstentions, the proposal involving return decisions and with 42 votes in favour, 5 against and 4 abstentions, they voted to grant a mandate to the rapporteur, Jeroen Lenaers (EPP, Netherlands), to begin negotiations with the Council. They also adopted two other reports prepared by Carlos Coelho (EPP, Portugal) on ways to improve use of the SIS as part of external border controls by 43 votes in favour, 5 against, with 4 abstentions (idem for mandate) and as part of police and legal cooperation by 41 votes for, 3 against, with 4 abstentions (40 votes, 5 against and 2 abstentions for the mandate).
Representatives from the member states will hold discussions on Wednesday 8 November about these new initiatives and could subsequently grant a mandate to begin negotiations with the Parliament. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)