The Republic of Ireland joined the EU’s Schengen Information System (SIS) on Monday 15 March, the European Commission announced. This is the largest and most widely used information-sharing system for internal security and external border management in Europe.
“The entry into operation of the system in Ireland will support cooperation between law enforcement authorities on fighting cross-border crime and terrorism, helping to enhance internal security in Europe”, the Commission said in a statement.
When checking passports at the Irish border, law enforcement authorities will now receive real-time information on people charged or convicted of crimes in other EU countries. Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are also associated with the SIS. The SIS also provides access to information on missing persons in need of protection and on stolen property, such as vehicles.
At the end of 2020, the Schengen Information System contained around 93 million alerts. It was consulted 3.7 billion times in 2020 and contained 209,178 hits (when a search results in an alert and the authorities confirm it), the Commission adds. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)