Cyprus is going to become a part of the Schengen Information System (SIS) on July 25, 2023. This system is important for ensuring safe travel and freedom within the EU’s Schengen Area. This change is expected to help different security groups like the police, customs, and immigration work together better. It will also aid in fighting crimes that happen within the country and crimes that involve crossing borders.
Dora Nikandrou, who leads Cyprus’s SIRENE (Supplemental Information Requested at National Entries) team, said she’s sure that joining the SIS will really help fight crime in Cyprus and Europe. Crimes these days are getting more complicated and easy because of modern tools, but the SIS helps by giving security teams quick and trustworthy information to stop them.
Cyprus asked to join the Schengen Area in September 2019. Right now, they’re being checked to see if they’re ready to be in the area where you don’t need a visa to travel. Last December, Cyprus asked EU countries to let them use the Schengen Information System. They said it would help make things safer, control borders, help police work together, and manage people coming back.
Cyprus did well in five out of the six Schengen categories. They met the standards for protecting data, working with other Schengen countries’ police, controlling borders outside, bringing people back, and handling visas and consulates.
The Schengen Information System is really important. It helps give alerts about people or things in the Schengen Zone. It also helps find missing people, lost documents, human trafficking victims, and possible suspects in various crimes. It even helps stop illegal entry into Schengen Zone countries.
Now, Cyprus is going to be part of the SIS. This is expected to make things safer and help countries in Europe work together better.
