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The ECRIS-TCN Advisory Group, the EES-ETIAS Advisory Group, and the Interoperability Advisory Group met online from 3 to 6 March to review the state of play of key EU large-scale IT systems and discuss upcoming milestones. The meetings brought together representatives of Member States, EU institutions and agencies to exchange updates on projects supporting border management, migration, security and judicial cooperation.
ECRIS-TCN Advisory Group reviews project progress and implementation planning
During the ECRIS-TCN Advisory Group meeting, participants reviewed the current state of play of the project and discussed eu-LISA’s proposal to revise the implementation timeline. eu-LISA presented several roadmap scenarios and outlined related considerations.
Member States exchanged views on the proposed options and discussed the next steps for the project, including ongoing technical preparations, testing activities and preparations for the transition to operations.
EES Advisory Group reviews operational developments
The EES-ETIAS Advisory Group reviewed recent legal and operational developments related to the Entry/Exit System (EES). With the progressive period approaching its conclusion, the European Commission continues to monitor compliance thresholds and biometric registration performance, including through bilateral exchanges with Member States facing challenges.
eu-LISA presented updates on the status of the EES project, including operational statistics, preparations for the end of the progressive period and upcoming system releases. Discussions also covered topics such as the Multiple Identity Detector process and the European Search Portal. Participants also took note of recent observations related to biometric data quality and exchanged views on follow-up actions.
The meeting also included a presentation from Sweden on the use of the Travel to Europe mobile application and on the relaunched EES questionnaire focusing on Member State readiness for the implementation of the Screening Regulation.
ETIAS Advisory Group reviews testing preparations and transition activities
The ETIAS Advisory Group received updates on key developments of the ETIAS project and the current status of testing activities. eu-LISA outlined the approach for the upcoming business testing phase, including scenario development, coordination with Frontex and the expected timeline for launching the first round of testing. Member States were encouraged to confirm their participation, with dedicated workshops and coordination sessions planned in the coming months.
Participants also reviewed the outcomes of the first ETIAS Transition Activities Group meeting, including the establishment of governance and communication frameworks and the planned review of the operator manual. In addition, eu-LISA presented updates on ETIAS training activities planned for 2025 and 2026, including online courses, webinars and cooperation with partner agencies to support operational readiness.
Both the EES and ETIAS communities were also briefed on the outcomes of the Security and Business Continuity Exercise (SBCE) 2025, and Member States were invited to participate in the next edition of the exercise.
Interoperability Advisory Group discusses CSLR implementation and interoperability developments
The Interoperability Advisory Group focused on the implementation of the CSLR project (Central System for Yellow Link Resolution), which supports end users in resolving MID yellow links. eu-LISA presented the outcomes of previous discussions and the proposed way forward. The next CSLR Project Management Forum will focus on the CSLR SIRENE scope.
Participants also received updates on interoperability projects, legal developments related to interoperability and the main takeaways from the latest Interoperability Programme Management Board meeting. Member States and EU agencies shared updates on their national preparations through a tour-de-table exchange.
Additional discussions covered the implementation of screening procedures, the use of the European Search Portal and allowed networks, developments related to the TESTA-EIRIS project — the successor to TESTA-ng — and the interoperability training plan for 2026.
