MEPs will consider what to do about the UK's illegal use of data from the Schengen Information System (SIS), as revealed by EuObserver in 2018. MEPs on the European Parliament Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) held a debate on this issue on Thursday 9 January in the presence of the European Commission, to whom they called to account, without success.
The United Kingdom, which has had access to the SIS since 2015, has been accused of improperly copying SIS data on European individuals for whom an alert has been issued (e.g. fingerprints or DNA elements). This data is stored on computers in airports or government offices, according to EuObserver, posing potential security risks.
As the country leaves the EU at the end of January and begins, among other things, a discussion on its future security relationship with the EU, MEPs, led by Liberal Sophie in 't Veld (Renew Europe, Netherlands), wanted answers from the Commission on Thursday. The latter did not reply, asking them to address the EU Council. It was this body that had authorised access for the United Kingdom, which was not a Schengen member, and it was therefore up to the Member States to “decide” whether to disconnect the United Kingdom from the SIS, said a Commission representative, who declined to comment on the United Kingdom's practice.
On the Commission's side, an action plan to remedy the problem will be proposed when the transition period with the United Kingdom begins.
For the Dutch Liberal MEP, a question of trust is at stake with this future partner, as the United Kingdom has behaved like a “cowboy”. She deplored “deliberate violations” and “serious abuses” of the SIS. Some of her colleagues have called for a proper investigation and a full audit of these British practices. The LIBE committee coordinators will need to discuss the way forward, confirmed committee Chair Juan Lopez Aguilar (S&D, Spain). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)