25/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the Council decided to authorise Europol and Eurojust to join the Schengen Information System (SIS). It also decided to add new data to SIS and to simplify the information exchange procedures between the competent authorities. The SIS is an automated network which allows police and consular staff access to data on certain persons and lost or stolen items or vehicles. Furthermore, unless agreement can be reached on making the European Police College into a more important body, the Council decided to start by granting its staff European civil servant status and funding it from the Community budget.