12/03/2019 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 12 March, MEPs approved by 379 votes to 170 with 118 abstentions the Interinstitutional Agreement on the centralised ‘ECRIS-TCN' information system on convictions of third-country nationals (see EUROPE 12157/11). The agreement provides for the inclusion in the system of EU nationals who also hold the nationality of a third country (dual nationals), as requested by the Commission and the EU Council, subject to certain fingerprint safeguards. During the debate preceding the vote, tensions around this point were still as high as ever between the political groups (see EUROPE 12211/7). The EPP, ECR and ENF groups supported the agreement en bloc, while the Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL groups voted against for the most part. The ALDE group was more divided, and the S&D abstained. (MF)