During the plenary session (22-25/10/2018) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the three draft regulations that will update the Schengen Information System (SIS), the most widely used information system for security and border management in Europe. Statements by Carlos COELHO (EPP, PT), rapporteur, and Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL), rapporteur.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

Schengen reform package (T)

COELHO, Carlos (EPP, PT)

LENAERS, Jeroen (EPP, NL)

Schengen Information System: extracts from the debate (23/10)

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Carlos COELHO (EPP, PT), rapporteur, We all want to have better security at our borders. We want to protect our citizens better and we want to protect free movement. And that is why we need to improve the Schengen Information System.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Carlos COELHO (EPP, PT), rapporteur, This will actually be a reform which should meet the challenges which we have seen in terms of dealing with illegal immigration and terrorism and organized crime. It will be a reform which is based on technological innovation, making the most of it, while protecting fundamental rights. At the moment there are those who say that the European Union fails to respond adequately to the needs of the citizens, but this is a reform which should come on stream next year.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Carlos COELHO (EPP, PT), rapporteur, The Border Management Authorities exchange information. We dont need more information we need better information and better exchange of information. This is how we can protect our children, for example, from abduction or from disappearance. We will have special alerts for children at risk of abduction which will protect them more effectively.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Carlos COELHO (EPP, PT), rapporteur, We need to speed up the exchange of information on terrorism in particular so that Member States can take action promptly. This new Schengen Information System will be accessible to EUROPOL and also Frontex because it will be of great use and utility to them in carrying out their work. I hope that this Schengen Information System reform will really deliver for Europe. I think that we will be able to have much better information much more cooperatively and enhance both security and freedom.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL), rapporteur, I would also like to talk about what is happening with the system. It is used or consulted five billion times a year and we have millions of notices, 450 times a day we have a hit in the system. 4000 suspects have been arrested thanks to the system. There are people who are rejected at the border. Two hundred thousand missing persons found. These are very telling figures and we can always make improvements and that's why the reform of the SIS is a welcome thing.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL), rapporteur, I would like to talk about one specific thing which is the return decisions being taken up in the system. This is a very important step because we know that there are people who have not received asylum and they should go back to their country of origin. But at this point in time we only get 37% return, so almost two thirds of those people who have not received asylum and should be returning, still stay. And so we need to get that figure up, we need to get more support for our asylum and migration policy through this and the SIS is something that can help this.