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European Commissioner in charge of Home Affairs Ms Cecilia Malmström meets today the Executive Director of eu-LISA Mr Krum GARKOV and visits the European Agency for the operational management of large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, security and justice (eu-LISA) at its headquarters in Tallinn.
In the course of the visit the Executive Director and the Commissioner exchange views on the progress of the Agency during its first year of operation, future priorities and contribution of eu-LISA to the legal proposal of the Commission on the Smart Borders programme. The Agency will lead a pilot project in 2015 investigating the technical possibilities for implementing the related systems.
The Executive Director Krum Garkov emphasised: "I am pleased to welcome Commissioner Malmström in eu-LISA and would like to thank her for the support regarding the set up and further development of the Agency. The goal of eu-LISA is to grow as the principal EU ICT technology centre and expertise hub in its area and through modern IT-solutions and services to contribute and facilitate success of EU's policies in the area of justice and home affairs. I am delighted to discuss the first year achievements and the future challenges of eu-LISA with Commissioner Malmström especially now that eu-LISA is soon to lead a pilot project to investigate the technical possibilities for implementing smart borders".
Commissioner Malmström is also introduced to the staff of eu-LISA and makes a tour in the current premises of the Agency, which are located in the European Union House.
"I am very pleased to see the progress made by eu-LISA in just over one year of its operation. The Agency fulfils the very crucial task of ensuring that EURODAC, the VIS and the SIS II are smoothly running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These systems ensure the effectiveness of our European asylum system and contribute to a secure environment that guarantees free movement within the Schengen area. Both the European Commission and Member States rely on the skills and expertise of its staff to make eu-LISA a centre of excellence in modern IT technologies," said Commissioner Malmström.
Background
Commissioner Malmström is in Tallinn to speak at a high-level conference "Challenges of a Common European Asylum System" and to meet also with Estonian MPs and officials.
The European Agency (eu-LISA) has been established to manage large scale information systems in the area of freedom, security and justice. It fulfils the operational management tasks for the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II), Visa Information System (VIS) and EURODAC. The Agency thereby supports the implementation of the EU's border management, asylum and migration policies.
The headquarters is in Tallinn (Estonia) while the operational management is carried out in Strasbourg (France) with a backup technical site in Sankt Johann im Pongau (Austria).
The Agency started its operations on 1 December 2012.
In June 2013 Commissioner Malmström visited the eu-LISA operational site in Strasbourg and met with the Agency's staff there.
The Agency is managed and represented by the Executive Director Mr Krum Garkov, who came to office on 1 November 2012. Mr Garkov has more than 15 years of cross-cultural experiences spanning the public and private sectors.
Contact: Communication and Information Officere-mail: press [at] eulisa [dot] europa [dot] eu (press[at]eulisa[dot]europa[dot]eu)