The Schengen Information System (SIS) is a large-scale information-sharing system used by EU Member States and Schengen-associated countries. It enables competent authorities, including border guards and police officers, to consult alerts on specific persons and objects in real time. Regulation (EU) 2022/1190, adopted in July 2022, amended the legal framework governing the SIS to introduce a new type of information alert concerning third-country nationals suspected of involvement in terrorist activities or other serious crimes. Following the completion of the necessary technical and legal preparations, Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2284 set 15 October 2026 as the date from which Member States could start entering, updating and deleting these alerts in the system.

Under the new mechanism, information received from non-EU countries and international organisations can be shared with Europol, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, which assesses the reliability of the source and the accuracy of the information. Europol can then propose that one or more Member States enter an information alert in the SIS. The Member State concerned examines the proposal and decides whether to issue the alert. The information may concern foreign terrorist fighters, individuals suspected of terrorist activities or persons suspected of involvement in serious crime. Once entered, the alert becomes available in real time to authorised authorities across the countries using the system. It does not constitute an arrest warrant or automatically result in a refusal of entry or stay.

Member States can continue to use the other alert categories already available in the SIS, including alerts on persons wanted for arrest and alerts concerning refusals of entry or stay.

For further details, please read the press release from the European Commission.