The 16th edition of the eu-LISA Industry Roundtable, "EES and ETIAS - Getting Ready for the Entry into Operation", takes place on 11 and 12 October 2022 in Tallinn, Estonia, and online.
Organised in cooperation with the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU, the event focuses on new technology solutions and associated business/operational processes developed and deployed by the industry (carriers and their respective service providers operating at air, sea and land borders), associated air and sea ports operators and EU Member States in relation to the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), two large-scale IT systems developed by eu-LISA which will enter into operations in 2023, changing the internal security ecosystem of the EU.
According to the European Commission Regulations 2021/1217 and 2021/1224, carriers will have the legal obligation to query EES and ETIAS systems to verify travellers' status before they cross the Schengen borders, to verify whether third-country nationals holding a short-stay visa have already used the number of entries authorised by their visa, or whether travellers subject to travel authorisation requirement are in possession of a valid ETIAS. Additionally, the revision of the Visa Information System (VIS – another large-scale IT system managed by eu-LISA), Regulation 2021/1134, foresees an upgrade that incorporates checks on multi-entry visas, long stay visas and residence permits. Finally, the European Commission has proposed the revision of the current Advance Passenger Information (API) Directive, with the aim of providing the carriers with one unified interface for querying information.
All these developments are expected to affect carriers' processes, including their infrastructures and equipment, particularly during check-in and boarding of travellers. Optimisation of the traveller flow management and the passenger verification process will be key to success. With the objective of further strengthening the support offered by eu-LISA to carriers, the October 2022 Industry Roundtable focuses on the carriers' needs and requirements that arise from the entry into operation of EES and ETIAS. The event also gives the opportunity to all stakeholders to debate and share knowledge, practical experiences and good practices, in order to improve the overall traveller experience, while enhancing overall security.
"The Schengen Ecosystem of large-scale IT systems is going through major changes with the introduction of EES and ETIAS. Carriers will play a key role for the successful entry into operation of these systems. This Industry Roundtable is an opportunity for the industry to present technological solutions that can support the carriers and discuss and exchange on how to adapt business processes towards the entry into operation of EES and ETIAS", says Philippe Harant, Head of the eu-LISA Governance and Capabilities Unit.
On behalf of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU, Mr Vít Rakušan, the Minister of the Interior of the Czech Republic, complemented: "The implementation of the Entry/Exit System and ETIAS is an extremely challenging task and a lot of work has been done by the Member States, eu-LISA, European Commission, European Parliament as well as the carriers, and border operators to launch these systems. Nevertheless, the challenges still persist and will remain when entering the final phases of the projects. The topic of this Industry Roundtable is an excellent choice and we are sure it will reach its traditional high quality and will offer a maximum of answers to pending questions".
The eu-LISA Industry Roundtable aims to bring together industry representatives, Member State authorities and EU institutions, providing a forum for eu-LISA stakeholders to exchange views on the development of novel technologies, legislative requirements and business processes. Presenters and speakers include representatives of the European Commission, the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, representatives from Member States authorities, eu-LISA, fellow EU agencies and the industry.
Further information regarding the agenda, venue, speakers are available on the dedicated Industry Roundtable website, eulisaroundtable.eu.
The eu-LISA Industry Roundtable is followed by the eu-LISA Annual Conference 2022, on 13 October 2022. The agenda, speakers and registration form are available on the dedicated conference website, eulisaconference.eu.
Background Information
The European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA), was established in 2011 as a long-term solution to the management of large-scale information systems in the European JHA landscape. The Agency became operational, de facto, in 2012. Today, it is at the forefront of Europe's information-driven border management and internal security, providing the expertise needed to manage and develop Justice and Home Affairs large-scale IT systems and their respective communication infrastructure, on a 24/7 basis. The headquarters of eu-LISA are in Tallinn (Estonia), operational management is carried out in Strasbourg (France) and a backup site is located in Sankt Johann im Pongau (Austria). The Agency also has a liaison office in Brussels (Belgium).
The Agency has a proud history of hosting and running events targeted at industry that have focused on solutions and proposals aimed at facilitating and advancing the technical aspects of eu-LISA's core business. Starting in 2014 with close to 50 participants, the event has grown both in size and scope over the years with almost 500 representatives of national authorities, EU institutions, industry, academia and NGOs registered for the current edition.
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