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The EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, visited eu-LISA's Headquarters in Tallinn on 21 March 2022.

During her visit, the Commissioner met with the management of eu-LISA and discussed the Agency's priorities for 2022, as well as eu-LISA's role in supporting the implementation of EU internal security policy. On the digital transformation of the home affairs domain, eu-LISA presented an overview of the implementation of the new information architecture for border management and the interoperability framework.

Importantly, discussions also focused on the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on the Visa Information System (VIS), the Schengen Information System (SIS) and Eurodac, which is used to handle EU asylum applications.

In video-conference with the Agency's personnel, Commissioner Johansson stated "eu-LISA keeps the current Schengen Information System, Visa Information System and the Eurodac systems for fingerprints, running smoothly. The Agency is there to help the EU as a whole to develop inter-connected and modern IT systems that deliver effective border control.

Since Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, eu-LISA has been vigilantly monitoring for cyber threats and maintains readiness.

Both are onerous task, but I am confident eu-LISA will keep delivering".

"It is our pleasure to welcome you here today, even if the mood is not a celebratory one. We stand in full solidarity with Ukraine and commend the bravery and resilience of its people. At eu-LISA, we are doing everything we can to ensure the full availability and efficiency of the EU's border management systems. This helps EU Member States to successfully address the challenges posed by the increase in migration caused by the attack on Ukraine. As Ukrainian people flee their homes, it is admirable to see European citizens welcome them into theirs. It must not be an easy journey, and all of us here at eu-LISA endeavour to make the border crossing process as smooth as possible with the systems that we provide. We stand by and will continue to support the EU, its Member States, and the Ukrainian people, in managing the effects of this terrible war," said eu-LISA Executive Director Krum Garkov.

They agreed to continue efforts towards the rollout of the future information architecture and doing their utmost in collaborating with EU bodies to find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

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 area of freedom, security and justice, that 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 JHA 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).

Contact

press [at] eulisa [dot] europa [dot] eu (press[at]eulisa[dot]europa[dot]eu)

+372 605 2267

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