Schengen to be Updated
October 25, 2006
The 10 year-old centralized database is in need of updating, having not kept up with the growing EU bloc which has increased to 25 nations, with another two set to join in January.
The European Parliament has worked out the legal details on Tuesday and are now looking at the new system techonlogy.
The Schengen Information System (SIS) checks, maintains and distributes information related to border security and law enforcement -- for example, it can provide information on stolen vehicles or serial numbers on accounts. The system is also intended to control immigration.
With the help of the SIS, police in EU member states have complete access to data -- given they are located in the in the Schengen zone. However, the original SIS computer system is due for expansion to cover the newly added members of the EU and embracing the latest technology.
New system being developed
The ground rules for movement across EU borders were laid in the Luxembourg town of Schengen in 1985.
However the new Eastern European member states have not been included due to stalls in updating the Schengen Information System technologically and politically so do not have the same access as other older EU members.
The proposed new system known as SIS II will supposedly allow border agents to check the identity of travellers using biographical information, along with storing biometric data and allows agents to search multimedia data.
According to reports, Telmo Baltazar, political justice, freedom and security counsellor for the European Commission’s delegation to the United States, said the new system will be more modular and flexible to adapt to changing requirements.
Reportedly the SIS II would contain about 22 million records, serve about half a million end users, for officials at ports of entry, police stations and other agencies.
'Stall is intentional'
The expansion has encountered massive technical difficulties, with some critics commenting that this delay could be a plot by the old member states against the new members in the Schengen system.
German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble rejects any of these accusations.
"As soon as we have proper conditions, the Schengen border free zone will be extended – but the new member states on their behalf need to make sure they meet the necessary conditions for joining the Schengen zone," Schäuble said.
"We cannot allow any exceptions because otherwise, that would not mean more but less security in Europe and that is not the idea of European integration," he added.
The European Union is now faced with the question what to do. Due to problems with the assigned companies, EU commissioner Franco Frattini is now considering reassigning the SIS contract, but that would mean further delays.
"The EU Parliament and Council of Ministers are also debating over principles such as access rights and data protection," Frattin said.
The new Schengen Information System aims to save a greater amount of data and digital photos as well as fingerprints and face recognition.