DRAFT REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment, operation and use of the second generation Schengen information system (SIS II)

I. Introduction

The SIS II is of very high importance for the EU, in particular to allow for the enlargement of the Schengen area to the new Member States to take place as soon as possible. The rapporteur is fully aware of the political importance and the resulting time pressure. He therefore reconfirms his willingness to try to achieve in a constructive way a first reading agreement with all three proposals as a package.

II. General approach

The rapporteur applied a series of guiding principles when preparing the amendments to the Commission’s proposals. First of all, the traditional position of Parliament as expressed in recent years was incorporated. Secondly, amendments are proposed and proposals of the Commission supported which ensure that the SIS II is firmly embedded in the Community’s and Union’s legal framework. Thirdly, a ’bigger system’ requires ’bigger safeguards’. Consequently amendments for improved data protection standards are put forward. A sense of priority for data protection has to be displayed. Fourthly, the idea ’to go back to the old text’ as requested by many Member States in the Council was carefully examined. Text from the current Schengen Implementing Convention (SIC) was introduced wherever it appeared better and more complete.

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DRAFT REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment, operation and use of the second generation Schengen information system