Cyprus sets to join Schengen Information System (SIS)

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Cyprus will join the Schengen Information System (SIS) on July 25, an important instrument for safeguarding safe travel and freedom inside the EU’s Schengen Area. The move is anticipated to improve coordination among security agencies, including police, customs, and immigration, and to assist in the battle against both domestic and cross-border crime.

Dora Nikandrou, the director of Cyprus’s SIRENE (Supplemental Information Requested at National Entries) department, expressed confidence that the country’s connection to the SIS will considerably aid to fighting crime on both the national and European levels. With criminal actions growing more complex and seamless as a result of contemporary facilities, the SIS acts as a check by supplying security services with timely and reliable information.

Cyprus applied for membership in the Schengen Area in September 2019 and is currently undergoing the Schengen evaluation process to assess its readiness for inclusion in the visa-free zone. Last December, Cypriot authorities urged EU countries to grant them access to the Schengen Information System, highlighting the benefits it would bring in terms of strengthening public security, border controls, police cooperation, and return procedures.

Cyprus has satisfied the standards in five of the six Schengen categories so far, including data protection, police cooperation with other Schengen members, external borders, returns, and visas and consulates.

The Schengen Information System is a critical instrument for issuing warnings on individuals or things in the Schengen Zone, assisting in the location of missing people, lost papers, victims of human trafficking, and probable suspects in different crimes. It also aids in the detection and prevention of illegal entry into Schengen Zone nations. The addition of Cyprus to the SIS is anticipated to boost security measures and facilitate collaboration among European states.

_{Inputs: SchengenVisa News}

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