Parliament success on safeguards in EU visa database system

11.04.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 7th Jun 2007

Sarah Ludford examining hardware for the visa information system

The European Parliament is expected to approve tomorrow two important reports by Baroness Sarah Ludford (Lib Dem, UK) on the Visa Information System. The VIS, which will be the world's largest biometric database with 70 million sets of fingerprints, aims principally to improve the management and security of EU visa-issuing procedures by allowing all relevant authorities in Schengen states to pool information. But it will also help fight terrorism and other serious crime by allowing supervised access by police and Europol. Despite the difficulties of such complex legislative measures, agreement has been reached with the Council in a single reading.

Sarah Ludford said: "The agreement I have reached with the German Presidency is sound and balanced. I am confident we have built the legal framework for a visa system which will increase EU border security but also facilitate travel and ensure respect for individual rights. Parliament will very closely monitor the implementation of this ambitious project."

"I welcome the commitments by the German presidency through political declarations to reach an agreement on two further legislative proposals linked to the VIS, on data protection for security-related information and on return of illegal immigrants. The Council must transform these words into deeds and deliver satisfactory agreement on these important measures."

"We cannot afford to take risks with big biometric schemes like this, as the potential consequences of misuse or abuse would deeply undermine civil liberties. The European Parliament must be closely involved, in liaison with national MPs, in any further proposals to interlink border or immigration databases, create new ones, or allow police access."