Schengen: Communication Infrastructure for the Schengen Information System SIS environment

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the consultation report, subject to amendments, by Carlos COELHO (EPP-ED, PT) approving the proposal for a Council regulation on the installation, operation and management of a Communication Infrastructure for the Schengen Information System (SIS) environment.

The main amendments aim to strengthen the role of the European Parliament in the whole process. The report calls for the Council to coordinate Member States' test activities and validate the test results, keeping the Commission and the European Parliament informed. The report calls for the Commission to adopt the necessary measures (including the adoption of a security plan) relating to the Communication Infrastructure and for it to inform the European Parliament and the Council of the terms of the contract and which national body is the contractor.

MEPs recall that the SISNET Agreement also provides networking and associated security services for VISION, a network supporting visa consultation procedures between central authorities of Member States. In actual fact, VISION is in principle out of the scope of this proposal since the Council is the body competent for implementing the amendments necessary for migrating VISION to another communication infrastructure.

In order to preserve the coherence and consistency of SIS1+, the report asks for the Commission to integrate VISION into the new communication network s-Testa and exercise implementing powers.

Lastly, the report states that the rules of the Financial Regulation have to be respected at all times.