Who We Are

eu-LISA is ...

Keeping Europe safe through technology

Operational since 1 December 2012, the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) manages large-scale IT systems that support the implementation of asylum, border management, migration, and justice policies in the EU.

Operating and evolving in an ever-changing internal security landscape, the Agency facilitates the implementation of one of EU citizens' fundamental rights – the right to free movement – for more than 400 million people.

Mission

Supporting EU Member States and their digitalisation efforts in the EU's Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) domain, eu-LISA’s mission is to keep Europe safe through technology.

Vision

To continue providing high-quality efficient services and solutions;
To systematically align the capabilities of technology with the evolving needs of the EU and its Member States;
To mature as a recognised and trusted partner in driving digital transformation in the Justice and Home Affairs domain.

Values

Accountability

Deploying a sound governance framework, costefficient operations and sound financial management.

Transparency

Providing regular and open communication with the Agency’s key stakeholders and engaging them in a continuous dialogue to define a long term strategy for the development of the Agency.

Excellence

Through having the right organisational structure, the right people and the right processes in place, ensuring service continuity and functional comprehensiveness of the tools provided to the Member States.

Continuity

Ensuring that the Agency will make the best use of expertise, knowledge and investments made by the Member States and will continue to develop them.

Teamwork

Seeking to empower each individual team member to make the best use of his or her knowledge and experience, contributing to shared success.

Customer focus

Ensuring that the Agency is aligned at any time with the needs and demands of its stakeholders.

Mandate

Large-Scale IT Systems
Research & Development
Training
Reporting & Statistics

eu-LISA is in charge of the operational management and development of several large-scale IT systems that govern the EU's JHA domain, handling everything from fingerprints to visa information, from entry and exit records to travel authorisations, from criminal records to cross-border justice. Interconnecting all of them to allow the efficient exchange of data and have them function as one – through Interoperability – is what makes eu‑LISA the Digital Heart of the Schengen Area.
Our IT systems at a glance
- Eurodac collects and compares digitalised fingerprints to facilitate the processing of asylum application
- SIS allows authorities to exchange information about people and objects of interest that move freely within the Schengen Area
- VIS allows embassies and national authorities to exchange data and manage visa applications
- EES electronically registers when and where third-country nationals enter and exit the Schengen Area, calculating how long they can stay
- ETIAS makes border crossings faster via online pre-travel authorisations for third-country nationals that do not need a visa to enter the Schengen Area
- ECRIS-TCN allows EU countries to share criminal records on third-country nationals and EU nationals having a double nationality from a third country
- e-CODEX enables secure communication between courts, citizens and businesses, in order to simplify judicial cooperation across the EU
- JITs CP enables prosecutors and judges in different EU countries to work together to bring criminals to justice
More on Interoperability
Once fully functional, the new Interoperability information architecture ensure that national authorities from EU Member States have fast and seamless access to data stored in all the IT systems for cross-checking (based on the limits defined in the respective legal bases).
This will significantly improve border management flows, as well the detection of irregular migrants and of multiple identities, contributing to the fight against cross-border crimes and terrorism.
The main components of Interoperability are:
- European Search Portal (ESP)
- Shared Biometric Matching Service (sBMS)
- Common Identity Repository (CIR)
- Multiple Identity Detector (MID)
- Common Repository of Reporting and Statistics (CRRS)
- Central System for Yellow Link Resolution (CSLR)
In the ever-evolving modern world, our Research and Development team constantly monitors the latest technological advancements that could be beneficial to our work, to make sure our systems are up to date.
eu-LISA also supports the Member States by developing, implementing and coordinating training programmes.
Reports on the usage statistics and the technical functioning of eu-LISA’s large-scale systems are regularly published by the Agency in order to raise awareness, but also to support decision-makers in top-level EU institutions.

Facts and Figures

31

European countries and institutions connected our IT systems

24/7/365

application management services provided to the Member States

390

staff members, working in 4 locations across the European Union

eu-LISA’s activities are funded by a subsidy from the general budget of the European Union, a contribution from the countries associated with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen aquis and Eurodac-related measures, as well as financial contributions from the EU Member States.

Read more about eu-LISA's
Budget and Finance

eu-LISA operates from:

Flag of Estonia

Headquarters:
Tallinn, Estonia

Flag of France

Operations site:
Strasbourg, France

Flag of Austria

Back-up site: Sankt Johann im Pongau, Austria

Flag of Belgium

Liaison office:
Brussels, Belgium

Read more about our approach to Multilingualism

and our EU-wide cooperation network

eu-LISA in a Nutshell

Read more about eu-LISA's core activities for a safer Europe on our Discover eu-LISA portal:

... and watch our latest video:

Legal Basis

The European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice was established by Regulation (EU) 1077/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council, having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

eu-LISA was created within the ordinary legislative procedure, on the basis of a proposal from the European Commission, and on the basis of the fact that the Council can adopt measures to ensure administrative cooperation between the relevant departments of the Member States in the areas of freedom, security and justice. eu-LISA is a regulatory agency having legal personality.

In each of the Member States, the Agency enjoys the most extensive legal capacity accorded to legal persons under national law. In 2018, the Agency's mandate was reinforced with a new Regulation (EU) 2018/1726 of the European Parliament and of the Council dated 14 November 2018.