Brussels, 03/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Confederation of Police (Eurocop) deeply regrets the recent EU decision to push back the deadline for the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II) until September 2009. This new date was decided at the meeting of home affairs ministers in Brussels on Thursday 28 February (see EUROPE 9612). “This is all rather disappointing,” said Europcop 1st Vice President Jan Schonkeren in a press release on 29 March. Originally, SIS II was to be operational by March 2007 to allow the states which joined the EU in 2004 (with the exception of Cyprus) to become part of the Schengen area. The timetable was severely delayed because of technical difficulties related mainly to the development of the database. The Justice and Home Affairs Council decided, therefore, to push the date for SIS II to come into service to December 2008. “Now we learn that there will be another delay of nearly a full year,” said Schonkeren. “We urge the Council to adopt a more realistic and honest approach to important projects like the SIS II,” he went on, calling on the Council and Commission to do all in their power to keep to the September 209 deadline. Eurocop is an umbrella organisation of 33 national police unions and staff organisations from 26 European states. (B.C.)