Prague, 15/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 15 January, EU ministers of the interior pointed out that the creation of the Schengen Information System (SIS2), the police database supposed to promote the effective functioning of the Schengen area, is encountering difficulties that could prove insurmountable. The Czech interior minister, Ivan Langer, declared during an informal Justice and Home Affairs Council in Prague that, “the SIS II project is in a critical situation…We will prepare an alternative plan in the event of SIS II not being carried out”.
SIS was set up in 1990 as a common database for the 25 members of the Schengen area. It seeks to centralise and facilitate information exchange held by police authorities. SIS consisted of a central system in Strasbourg and national “mirror” systems of the central database in each country, pooling 28 million signal items of which 22 million involved stolen objects. Around 1.2 million “undesirables”, people sought by the police, are in the database. Seventeen items of information a second can be processed.
The SIS II project is extremely complicated and aims to enhance the identification mechanism for people by way of biometric data storage (photos and finger prints). The definitive instalment of police data to the current Schengen Information System, however, (SISI+) to SIS II is taking longer than expected. The date programmed for SIS II to be operational in all member states was initially set for April 2007 but successive problems have meant that the Commission has had, several times, to revise its timetable. The latest delays were in the system's operational test phase, particularly in the areas of “consistency of the data” and “system performance and stability”, says a Commission report published at the end of December. “It is clear that we cannot keep to the general SIS II timetable, but we cannot keep postponing this project,” Langer acknowledged. “Migration from SIS I+ to SIS II planned for September 2009 is no longer possible within the timescale, because errors continue to block the system and time is needed to find solutions,” the Czech Presidency said.
The slow progress in the project has caused some annoyance. “I am dismayed that it is taking so long,” said Luxembourg Minister Luc Frieden. Austrian Interior Minister Maria Fekter was scathing of a very costly project that was certainly heading for deadlock. “Around €68 million has been committed to SIS II since the start of the project and €28 million has been spent without taking into account member states' costs,” noted Justice, Security and Freedom Commissioner Jacques Barrot, pointing out that €23 million had initially been allocated for putting the system in place. While member states as a whole were concerned at this latest delay to SIS II, two countries, Romania and Bulgaria, were especially worried since their accession to the Schengen area, scheduled for 2011, may have to be put back. “It is not essential to have the SIS II for moving towards enlargement of the Schengen Area”, said Mr Barrot, suggesting that Bulgaria and Romania could thus join the present database. The United Kingdom, which does not for now take part in the SIS II adventure, fears that greater control of the Schengen Area borders is not enough, given that many foreign workers will be going to London this year to prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games.
In this vague context, member states have agreed to the proposal prepared by the Czech EU Presidency which consists in developing a new approach in order to try to put SIS II in place. “It is no longer possible to carry on as we have done to date”, the Czech Presidency said, calling for a definition of a new working framework which closely involves the European Commission and the member states. In this context, the Presidency has suggested carrying out, within four months, an action plan aimed at defining and eliminating the problems encountered by this system. It will only be after this phase that there will be further testing of the way the system works. In parallel, the Presidency has foreseen the creation of an alternative scenario consisting of integrating SIS II objectives in the current data base (SIS I+). A study is due to be given on this alternative by April this year. “We cannot live without an alternative”, Mr Langer stressed. “I trust this rescue solution will not be necessary and that the SIS II will survive”, he nonetheless added. At any rate, the Council will have to decide whether to pursue the SIS II project or to abandon it in favour of an alternative solution during the JHA Council in June 2009. An extraordinary Council of home ministers could even be held during May in order to reach a definitive response. (B.C./transl.jl)