Schengen Informatie Systeem één van de belangrijkste resultaten van Europese integratie (en)
The Cyprus Presidency, represented by Cyprus’ Minister of Justice and Public Order, Mr. Loucas Louca, intervened on Tuesday night, November 20, in the discussion about the World Conference on International Telecommunications of the International Telecommunications Union and on the joint debate for the Schengen Information System, during the European Parliament Plenary in Strasbourg.
During the afternoon session, Mr. Louca commented on the upcoming World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). The ITU will meet in Dubai between December 3 and 14 to discuss the revision of the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs), which have established the policies governing the international telecommunications, since 1988.
Ensuring compatibility
“The Council is committed to ensure that any changes to these international Regulations, which may come out of the WCIT, do not conflict with applicable legislation in the EU,” stressed the Cypriot Minister, while highlighting that “we also need to ensure that the WCIT by no means restricts the EU as to the future development of the EU acquis”.
Mr. Louca stressed the importance of close cooperation between the Commission and the Member States in order to present a single and clear EU position, which is consistent with the acquis, at the Dubai Conference. To this end, Mr. Louca reiterated the Cyprus Presidency’s commitment to facilitate such a cooperation and representation.
The Cypriot Minister said that the environment of telecommunications had changed since the establishment of IRTs in 1988. “Nowadays, a single infrastructure is being developed more and more ,based on the Internet protocol so as to deliver all services to just a single device. All these developments challenge the structure of today’s communications systems and the rules governing such systems”, the Minister commented.
A developed Schengen Information System
At the last session of Tuesday’s plenary day, Mr. Louca, representing the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, participated in the debate at the Plenary of the European Parliament for Schengen Information System (SIS).
“The second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II) constitutes a key instrument for the security of the area without internal border controls, one of the most tangible and successful achievements of European integration,” Mr. Louca said.
The Cypriot Minister further highlighted that “ the adoption of the two Regulation proposals constitute an important element for the beginning of the process passing from the current SIS I to the SIS II” , adding that “the Presidency has worked intensively to move forward and reach an agreement on the text”.
In July 2012, the Council achieved a political agreement on the text. The Cyprus Presidency aims to proceed with the formal adoption by the end of the year, after taking into account the opinion of the European Parliament.
Mr. Louca continued by thanking the rapporteur and the European Parliament for their efforts and cooperation that aimed to ensure the timely and swift adoption of the reports on the recast SIS II, thus allowing Council to proceed with their adoption.
Concluding his intervention, Minister Louca stated: “concerning the development of the SIS II project, the Presidency is closely following up all the developments and will be in close contact with all stakeholders in an attempt to mitigate to every extent possible any problems that might negatively affect the timely operation of the SIS II”.