eu-LISA's Digital Newsletter

The eu-LISA Bits & Bytes provides an overview of the Agency's recent progress and the state-of-play on the development and management of the large-scale IT systems that govern the Schengen Area's internal security.

In this issue:

… and more.

Past & future editions



Large-Scale IT Systems – Evolution and Outlook

eu-LISA's agenda for 2022 consists of rolling out the upgraded Schengen Information System (SIS), continuing work on developing three new large-scale IT systems (EES, ETIAS, ECRIS-TCN), managing and updating the existing ones (Eurodac and VIS, in addition to SIS), as well as working on achieving Interoperability between all systems. Starting 2023, a new system will be part of eu‑LISA's portfolio: e‑CODEX.

For an overview on how these systems help us ensure #ASaferEurope, head over to our dedicated portal: Discover eu-LISA


The expected high level of performance and availability for SIS, VIS, Eurodac and their sub-systems remained unchanged in the first half of 2022.

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On 11 July 2022, ministers of justice from across the EU met in Prague to confirm their political commitment to the implementation of a revised timeline for the Interoperability architecture. EES is expected to go-live by mid-May 2023, while ETIAS and ECRIS-TCN will enter into operations by mid-November 2023. The Interoperability components are to be developed throughout next year and will be progressively put into operation to ensure full functionality by the second half of 2024.

The event, organised by the Czech Republic during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union, brought together representatives of the 27 Members States, European Institutions, as well as guests from Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.

eu-LISA Executive Director Krum Garkov highlighted the Agency's full commitment to the implementation of the Interoperability architecture at the highest pace. "We are confident that together we will put in place the most advanced global information architecture for border management and internal security seen to date", he added.

eu-LISA's 10-Year Anniversary: 2012 - 2022


eu-LISA's journey began in 2012, however the spark of its inception dates back to 1995, when the Schengen Information System (SIS) became operational. SIS is now one of many large-scale IT systems managed by eu‑LISA for a safer Europe. By managing these systems and evolving with the ever-changing internal security landscape, the Agency has become the Schengen Area's digital engine, facilitating the implementation of one of EU citizens' fundamental rights – free movement.

eu-LISA manages and develops six large-scale IT systems, with one more to come in 2023. They handle everything from fingerprints to visa information, from entry and exit records to travel authorisations, from criminal records to cross-border justice. Interconnecting all of them to allow the efficient exchange data - through Interoperability - makes eu‑LISA the digital heart of the Schengen Area.

See more in our 10-Year Anniversary Video:

For the past 10 years, the Agency has focused on transforming traditional models for border and migration management into digital ones, working side by side with EU Institutions and Member States to ensure that new technologies are trustworthy, bring added value to people, and are used solely for legitimate purposes, allowing the citizens of today and tomorrow live their everyday lives safely in an Area of Freedom, Security and Justice.

We have evolved as an organisation and as a strong and capable team of experts, entrusted to implement the most complex and challenging transformation programme that the EU has launched in the last decades.

Guided by our mission, of developing and managing the large-scale IT systems essential for the implementation of the asylum, border management and migration policies of the EU, we have been providing high-quality services and solutions, building trust amongst all stakeholders and continuously aligning the capabilities of technology with the evolving needs of the Member States, and finally, growing as a centre of excellence, year by year.

eu-LISA in Figures in 2022

Operating in
3
Locations
Managing
6+1
Large-Scale IT Systems
Employing
310
Staff
Supporting
31
Countries

– A Journey Through Time –

2011

Regulation (EU) No 1077/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishes a European Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice

2012

eu-LISA starts its operations on 1 December 2012, in Tallinn, with 39 people on board

2013

  • The Agency undertakes the operational management of Eurodac, SIS and VIS
  • eu-LISA signs a Site Agreement with Austria for its Back-up site in Sankt Johann im Pongau
  • eu-LISA signs a Site Agreement with France for its Operational site in Strasbourg

2014

  • Upgrades for Eurodac, SIS and VIS are deployed following the successful transfer of the systems to eu‑LISA's data centres
  • EU consulates in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Australasia start to use VIS
  • eu-LISA hosts its first Annual Conference, "Smart Borders: A Faster and Safer Way to Europe"
  • The Agency hosts its first Roundtable event with industry stakeholders to discuss the future of automated border management
  • eu-LISA delivers its first trainings to EU Member States and Associated Countries
  • eu-LISA signs a Site Agreement with Estonia for a new headquarters building

2015

  • eu-LISA delivers a Smart Borders pilot project for deploying biometric technology at the Schengen Area's external borders
  • The Agency launches the Biometric Matching System (BMS)
  • Eurodac upgrade launched
  • VIS operational in all consular posts worldwide
  • The UK connected to SIS
  • eu-LISA holds the chairmanship of the network of EU Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Agencies

2016

  • The Agency starts EES-related preparatory works
  • eu-LISA delivers studies on technical options for the development of a European Search Portal (ESP) and a shared Biometric Matching System (sBMS)
  • The Agency assists the European Commission in introducing the Dublin Regulation Reform Package

2017

  • VIS upgrade launched
  • Croatia connected to SIS
  • eu-LISA starts ETIAS-related preparatory works
  • The Agency launches a new Learning Management System (LMS) for training Member States
  • eu-LISA is officially mandated to develop and manage EES

2018

  • eu-LISA launches AFIS, a biometric search capability in SIS
  • The Agency is officially mandated to develop and manage ETIAS
  • eu-LISA inaugurates its permanent headquarters in Tallinn and its operational site's new premises in Strasbourg
  • eu-LISA co-hosts its Annual Conference with sister agency Frontex
  • The European Commission broadens the mandate of eu‑LISA through Regulation (EU) 2018/1726, enabling it to develop and roll-out technical solutions to make EU IT systems interoperable
  • eu-LISA launches its e‑Recruitment platform

2019

  • The Agency installs the Single Integrated Monitoring System (SiMS) for all large-scale IT systems
  • eu-LISA is officially mandated to develop and manage ECRIS-TCN

2020

  • eu-LISA celebrates the 25th anniversary of SIS; SIS upgrade launched
  • The Agency starts working remotely because to the COVID‑19 pandemic and makes major efforts to ensure the implementation of EES and ETIAS stays on track
  • eu-LISA takes charge of the maintenance of the ECRIS Reference Implementation
  • The Agency completes the recruitment process for its first Deputy Executive Director
  • eu-LISA launches the first issue of Bits&Bytes

2021

  • eu-LISA launches its new visual identity
  • The Agency completes the e-VISA pilot project, which demonstrates the feasibility of an EU online visa application portal
  • eu-LISA commences the registration of air, land and sea carriers that transport passengers to the Schengen Area for querying EES and ETIAS
  • The headquarters building of eu‑LISA in Tallinn is awarded the second place in the 'Green' category at the European Public Sector Award competition
  • The European Commission entrusts the development and maintenance of e‑CODEX to eu‑LISA starting July 2023
  • Following Brexit, the UK is disconnected from Agency's systems

2022

  • eu-LISA celebrates its 10th anniversary
  • SIS upgrade to be launched
  • eu-LISA and the Member States make the final preparations before the launch of EES and ETIAS in 2022-2023

Our interactive 10-Year Photobook is coming soon. Here is a sneak preview:

Training Activities Growing Steadily in the Second Quarter of the Year

Tailored training activities are part of eu‑LISA core tasks, the Agency providing hands-on sessions, live demo presentations, large and small-scale workshops and webinars on the technical use of the large-scale IT systems in its remit.

In the first half of the year, eu‑LISA delivered 21 training courses to a total of 1,762 participants, while maintaining the 90% average satisfaction rate. On our dedicated e-learning platform (LMS), the number of new accounts almost doubled and new enrolments quadrupled.

The numbers at a glance:

Q2 2022

See the full factsheet

Q1 2022

See the full factsheet

After two years of remote learning, face-to-face training sessions are slowly starting to come back, driving participants' engagement and satisfaction higher. Still, the long hiatus brought by the pandemic has left its mark, and online sessions will continue to make up a large part of eu‑LISA's training offer to a growing number of professionals across Europe.

In Tallinn, eu-LISA's home base, several face-to-face courses were successfully delivered, including a joint EES training course together with our sister agency Frontex, "Eurodac and SIS: The role of large-scale IT systems in combatting the facilitation of illegal immigration" (part of the EMPACT FII Operational Actions), as well as two SPoC/Service Desk Profile courses for Eurodac and VIS. As part of the EES training plan for 2022, in June, an EES course took place for the first time in Strasbourg, where our operational site is located.

The Interoperability Expert Training Group started its proceedings in May 2022 aiming to engage Member States more comprehensively in defining their training needs related to Interoperability, quality assessment, and the development of a concept note for a light-competency framework. The IO Expert Training Group has 10 members, including 1 Frontex representative, and 9 from Member States. The first meeting of the similar ETIAS Expert Training Group took place on 9 June; the initiative facilitates collaboration on training courses between representatives from Member States, Europol and Frontex, focusing on the design and content of courses, and the joint review of training materials.

In order to provide quick and easy access to training materials for the users of our LMS, a technical upgrade of the platform was finalised in May this year. The informational structure of the website was reorganised to optimise filtering by system or format of delivery.

For a look back at the previous year, consult the 2021 Factsheet

eu-LISA Industry Roundtable • 16 June 2022

After two years of online meetings, the 15th edition of the eu‑LISA Industry Roundtable, "Biometric Technologies in Identity Management and Verification", took place in a hybrid format, in Strasbourg and online, on 16 June 2022.

Organised in cooperation with the French Presidency of the Council of the EU, the event featured use cases for biometric technologies in identity management and verification, in the context of the large-scale IT systems operated by eu‑LISA.

Over 15 speakers from all over the globe presented novel technologies addressing the capability gaps in identity verification at external border crossing points (in particular land and sea), as well as solutions that allow for effective and efficient identity management.

Session I

Setting
the Scene

The session was kicked off by the US Department of Homeland Security, who presented their multimodal Automated Biometric Identification System. The audience got a glimpse at how identity management functions at the Federal Office for Information Security in Germany (BSI) and at eu‑LISA. DG HOME, the European Commissions' Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, outlined the EU's initiative on visa digitalisation and travel facilitation.

Session II

Biometric Solutions and Business Processes for Passenger Processing

The session focused on the particularities on land and sea border crossing points, featuring mobile solutions that allow smartphones and tables to use dedicated hardware in order to facilitate the identification of individuals or keeping a register of operations.

Session III

Identity Management
as a Service

Four industry presentations tackled various topics and use cases, including mobile identity verification in the context of eu‑LISA's EES and ETIAS upcoming large-scale IT systems, integrating app-based remote identity proofing in biometric ecosystems, verifiable digital travel credentials and a new hot topic: at-home passenger pre-enrolment.

To solve practical challenges, we don't need to reinvent the wheel. Very often, someone has already faced the challenge and found a solution. Hence, it's extremely important to meet and share experiences with colleagues not only from the EU, but across the globe.
Identity management and verification is a complex ecosystem involving a multitude of stakeholders representing both the public and private sectors. It is therefore essential to ensure effective coordination across different layers spanning technology, policy and law, to ensure that identity management processes are reliable, fast, secure and compliant.
Krum Garkov, Executive Director, eu-LISA

Photo Gallery

Photos by Veronika Simonova

Read more on the Roundtable Website
The next eu-LISA Industry Roundtable is scheduled for 11-12 October 2022 and will be followed by our flagship event,
the eu‑LISA Annual Conference, on 13 October 2022.

Europe United in Peace

Solidarity & Peace

#UnitedInPeace was the main theme of this year's Europe Day - the 9th of May - celebrations. The day marks the anniversary of the historic Schuman Declaration, which laid the foundation for what is now the European Union. This year, more than ever, Europe Day was an important occasion to reaffirm the Union's commitment to preserving peace and to stand up for universal values such as freedom.

The previous two editions of Europe Day took place online because of the pandemic. While the health crisis is slowing starting to fade into memory, geopolitical turmoil loomed over this year's event, which is why Estonian president Alar Karis devoted a seminar to framing Europe Day as a celebration of peace, not victory.

eu-LISA Executive Director Krum Garkov recalled the two key words he envisioned for Europe Day 2021, which were 'Hope' and 'Trust'. Today they stand out even more clearly, however, in an entirely different context.

We hope that peace will return to the continent and we work hard to assure trust in the power of European values, which make us show solidarity towards the Ukrainian people, response to violence and support to those in need.
Krum Garkov, Executive Director

Read the full quote on the eu‑LISA website.


As 2022 has been declared the European Year of Youth, Europe Day also puts the spotlight on Europe's young people, who have an opportunity to discuss the challenges that we are facing today and what the future of the Union could look like.

After a two-year break, eu‑LISA was back in Tallinn's Freedom Square, conducting quizzes and engaging citizens together with the EC Representation in Estonia. The people that visited us could leave their good wishes on a special board set up in the "EU Tent"; the ones that stood out were "peace" and "more unity".

Photos by the European Commission Representation in Tallinn

The event took place simultaneously across six cities in Estonia and was targeted at students, but all citizens were invited to participate in an orienteering game involving reaching various checkpoints in the respective towns and answering quiz-style questions regarding the EU. eu‑LISA's was featured in the Digital trail in all six cities, and it led players to the Agency's own quiz, which was launched during last year's edition.


As always, eu-LISA takes part each year in the EU Institutions' joint social media campaigns for Europe Day, relaying key messages to promote the EU Agencies' joint efforts in serving EU citizens. The EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies network supports the work of Member States as they help Ukraine and its people as war once again touched Europe. By working together and utilising each agency's particular expertise, the Agencies provided help regarding humanitarian support, respect for fundamental rights, reception of people fleeing war, management of the EU's external borders, visa measures and the anticipation of hybrid threats.

Happenings

  • Oct 13

    eu-LISA Anniversary Conference - 10 Years as the Digital Heart of Schengen

    We will be looking back at the Agency's achievements, milestones and key events during the past ten years and, more importantly, we will be looking ahead to envision the next steps in the eu‑LISA's evolution, and the areas where the Agency could further contribute in supporting EU Institutions' and Member States' efforts in making Europe safer and stronger.

  • Oct 11-12

    eu-LISA Industry Roundtable - EES, ETIAS and Carriers: Getting ready for the entry into operation

    The 16th edition of the eu‑LISA Industry Roundtable will be organised in cooperation with the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU and will focus on the specifics that air, land and sea carriers need to take into account before the launch of EES and ETIAS.

  • Jul 22

    eu-LISA and Eurojust joint report on AI

    "Artificial lntelligence Supporting Crossborder Cooperation in Criminal Justice" offers a high-level overview of legal and policy issues related to using AI solutions in judicial cooperation and explores AI use-cases. Focusing on natural language processing and computer vision, the report zooms in on two specific AI technologies and their practical application.

    Read more

  • Jun 22-23

    eu-LISA Management Board meets in Strasbourg

    The meeting was organised in Strasbourg under the auspices of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU, emphasising the close cooperation between eu‑LISA and EU Member States.

    Read more

  • Jun 13

    CEPOL and eu-LISA renew efforts to share knowledge and best practices

    The two sister agencies signed a Cooperation Plan for 2022-2024, renewing and reinforcing their close collaboration that has spanned nearly a decade.

    Read more

  • May 24

    European Parliament's JURI Committee visits eu‑LISA

    The visit focused on eu‑LISA's most important developments last year and its priorities for 2022. One of the main topics discussed was the digitalisation of cross-border judicial cooperation in the EU and the future development of e-CODEX.

    Read more

  • Apr 6

    eu-LISA organises bi-weekly awareness sessions for Carriers

    Twice a week, eu-LISA will hold Q&A sessions aimed at addressing questions linked to the implementation of EES and ETIAS by air, sea and land carriers.

    Read more

  • Apr 5

    Annual meeting with Justice and Home Affairs Counsellors held online

    During its annual meeting with the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Counsellors and other stakeholders, eu‑LISA provided updates regarding the development of the new EU border management and internal security systems.

    Read more

  • Mar 30

    SIS used more than seven billion times in 2021

    More than 89 million alerts were stored in the system by the end of last year.

    Read more

  • Mar 23

    eu-LISA Management Board held in Tallinn

    High on the agenda was an overview of the impact the ongoing war in Ukraine is having on the IT systems managed by eu‑LISA.

    Read more

  • Mar 21

    Commissioner Johansson visits eu‑LISA

    The Agency's priorities for 2022, as well as eu‑LISA's role in supporting the implementation of EU internal security policy, were addressed by the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs.

    Read more

  • Feb 14

    Commissioner Reynders visits eu‑LISA

    The EU Commissioner for Justice's main focus was the digitalisation of cross-border judicial cooperation in the EU.

    Read more

eu-LISA - The Digital Heart of Schengen

The European Union Agency eu-LISA became operational in 2012 to manage large-scale information systems in the area of freedom, security and justice. Today, we are at the forefront of Europe's information-driven border management and internal security, facilitating the implementation of one of EU citizens' fundamental rights - the right to free movement within the Schengen Area.

The headquarters of eu-LISA are in Tallinn, Estonia, whilst its operational centre is in Strasbourg, France. There is also a technical business continuity site for the systems under management based in Sankt Johann im Pongau, Austria, and a Liaison Office in Brussels, Belgium.

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