EU Commission adopts new measures in Schengen Information System for counter-terrorism purposes

29/1/2015 EU source: European Commission Ref: EC15-017EN

Summary: 29 January 2015, Brussels - Today, the European Commission has adopted new measures and technical upgrades of the Schengen Information System (SIS) which will allow an accelerated and more targeted information exchange on terrorist suspects amongst law enforcement authorities, state security services and border guards throughout the 28 Schengen States.

By this new action SIS will reinforce the efforts of Member States to invalidate personal identification documents of persons who may join terrorist groups outside the European Union. It will substantially contribute to more effective border controls as when checks of travel documents are carried out at the external borders such documents must be seized and the person concerned will be detained. This forms part of the work carried out by the Commission, in close cooperation with the Member States, to reinforce border security within the existing legal framework in response to terrorist threats.

Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos, is currently in Riga to participate in discussions and present this decision at the informal Justice and Home Affairs Council on countering terrorism.