The proposal to set up the centralised information system 'ECRIS-TCN' on the convictions of third-country nationals could finally be successfully implemented. MEPs from the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee are expected to endorse the December interinstitutional agreement on Wednesday 23 January (see EUROPE 12157), indicated several parliamentary sources on Monday 21 January.
The majority would already be achieved with the votes of the MEPs from the EPP, ECR, ENF and EFDD groups, who should support the agreement (see EUROPE 12142). Interestingly the S&D, ALDE, Greens/EFA, and GUE/NGL groups, which did not support the agreement, would now be divided on the issue - among themselves, but also within each group.
According to a source close to the situation, there has been intense lobbying by some Member States alongside their MEPs (see EUROPE 12154).
As a reminder, the preliminary solution found between the co-legislators after months of blocking finally includes in the system EU nationals who also hold the nationality of a third country (dual nationals), as requested by the Commission and the Council. However, for dual nationals, it provides that the system will only include fingerprints when they have been collected in accordance with national legislation in the course of criminal proceedings.
The agreement has already been endorsed by the Member States (see EUROPE 12153) and will also have to be approved by the European Parliament plenary session. (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)