We have recently known that the Schengen Information System (SIS) has been upgraded. SIS is a large-scale information sharing system for security, if not the largest, for the European countries that are part of the Schengen area or space. Now, what is the Schengen space? The Schengen Agreement implemented in 1995 by 26 European countries was the one that gave rise to the so-called Schengen space. This agreement was signed 1985 in the town of Schengen, Luxembourg and came into effect 10 years later.

The countries involved agreed to eliminate the borders between them to ease the freedom for people to move and change countries at wish, as well as goods, services and capital. They also established common rules and controls at the external borders with countries not belonging to this space, reinforcing the judicial system and police cooperation to promote the fight against crime.

Now, going back to the Schengen Information System(SIS)and its upgraded version, it is of extreme importance because it provides information on wanted or missing persons, third -country nationals with no legal right to stay, objects found lost of stolen such as cars, firearms, boats and identity documents. And the upgrades affect to new categories of alerts, such as biometrics on palm prints, fingermarks, and even DNA records for missing persons, and some other tools to fight crime and terrorism. It also protects vulnerable individuals creating special alerts for them, as well as for discourage irregular immigration. This way national authorities will have at hand more efficient complete and reliable information of individuals crossing the borders.

The Schengen Information System (SIS) works together with the Exit/Enter System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) as part of the interoperability architecture. As an important tip Europol and national immigration authorities now have access to all alert categories in SIS.

It looks like it all is shaping up real nice to make the Schengen Space the most secure and fast-to- enter place to visit and have some nice vacations!