Between 12 and 15 April 2021, eu-LISA hosted its regular Advisory Group (AG) meetings dedicated to the new large-scale IT systems the Agency is developing - EES and ETIAS, as well as the Interoperability components that will provide improved access to information stored in EU information systems and identity management at an EU level.
The 16th Interoperability AG kicked-off the week, focusing on the status of the sBMS (shared Biometric Matching System) – a tool for cross-checking biometric data (fingerprints and facial images) and detecting links between information on the same person in different EU information systems. sBMS is one of the main Interoperability elements, seeking to ensure improved identity management.
The 26th EES/ETIAS AG and the 16th ECRIS-TCN also touched upon sBMS, discussing the implementation of the User Software Kit (USK) in sBMS, but also the latest updates from the Biometric Working Group meeting held on 23 March 2021.
The ECRIS Reference Implementation (RI) integration options, including ICD (Interface Control Document) implementation and testing requirements, were also discussed. Last year in April, eu-LISA took over the operational management of the ECRIS RI from the European Commission. ECRIS RI offers a web-based integration interface which enables connection with Member States' legal systems such as their criminal record registers.
The next AG meetings are scheduled as follows:
- Interoperability: 17-18 May 2021
- EES/ETIAS: 18-19 May 2021
- ECRIS-TCN: 20 May 2021
Each AG meeting contributes to informing stakeholders about the latest developments and improving the IT systems that form the backbone of the Schengen Area's internal security.
Detailed information about each large-scale IT system and how they contribute to keeping Europe safe can be found on our interactive Discover eu-LISA portal.
