EU strengthens police intelligence-sharing
Police and border authorities across the European Union can now access new intelligence alerts on suspected terrorists and serious criminals through the Schengen Information System (SIS).
The European Commission confirmed that the new mechanism became operational on 15 October, allowing member states to enter alerts based on trusted information provided by non-EU countries and international organisations, with support from Europol.
The system is intended to make intelligence about individuals suspected of terrorist activity, foreign terrorist fighters and suspects in serious criminal investigations available to authorities across the EU in real time.
The Commission said the development would help police and border guards identify potential threats and improve cooperation between national law enforcement agencies.
Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said: “Europe’s security is only as strong as the information behind it.”
He added that sharing alerts supplied by international partners would enable authorities to act on threats before they caused harm.
The new mechanism builds on the existing SIS, which allows participating countries to share alerts about people and objects of interest to law enforcement. These include wanted people, individuals subject to arrest warrants and missing people.
Under the new arrangements, Europol can assess information received from external partners and propose that member states enter alerts concerning individuals suspected of terrorism or serious crime.
The development comes as the UK government pursues closer law enforcement cooperation with the EU following Brexit.
In June, Home Office minister Lord Hanson of Flint told Parliament that the government was working with the European Commission to identify opportunities to improve data exchange for border security and public safety, including real-time alert-sharing arrangements.
He said the UK was taking a pragmatic, incremental approach because different European databases raised distinct legal and operational issues.
The government has also acknowledged that the UK does not have direct or indirect access through Europol to the EU’s Eurodac database, which contains biometric information used in asylum and migration procedures.
The latest Commission announcement does not, however, restore the UK’s direct access to the SIS. The new mechanism allows EU member states to incorporate qualifying intelligence from external partners into the system, subject to the relevant safeguards.
Further negotiations will determine how far the UK can expand its access to European information-sharing arrangements.
For UK policing, the potential benefits of closer cooperation include improved access to intelligence on suspects operating across borders and more effective coordination of investigations involving organised crime and terrorism.
The extent of any practical benefits will depend on the arrangements agreed between the UK and its European partners.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is due to meet Mr Brunner today to discuss law enforcement cooperation, border management and counter-terrorism. Discussions include potential UK access to European law enforcement databases lost after Brexit.