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The Management Board of the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) held its milestone 50th meeting in Budapest on 25 and 26 September. This meeting also marked the first for Ms Marili Männik, who assumed the role of eu-LISA's Executive Director ad interim in August 2024.
"The two-day meeting involved in-depth discussions on both organisational matters and the large-scale IT systems managed by the Agency," said Mr Rene Vihalem, Chairman of the eu-LISA Management Board. "Our discussions were particularly intensive, with final preparations underway to implement the Entry/Exit System (EES), which will have significant political, economic, and operational implications for the European Union."
The Board was briefed on the status of the Agency's evaluation by the European Commission (COM). The final report, prepared by EY, has been accepted, and the forthcoming evaluation will be accompanied by a staff working document for additional insights. Furthermore, eu-LISA’s management presented an action plan based on a Deloitte study.
A key focus of the meeting was the Interoperability architecture of large-scale IT systems, with particular attention to the status of the Entry/Exit System (EES) project. The Board received updates on several crucial developments, including the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), scheduled for launch at the end of next year, as well as updates on the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the Visa Information System (VIS).
The Management Board also discussed progress on the Eurodac Recast, an integral element of the new European Migration Policy. Updates were provided on IT systems in the justice sector, including the European Criminal Records Information System - Third Country Nationals (ECRIS-TCN), the e-CODEX system, and the Joint Investigation Teams Collaboration Platform (JITs CP). Brief discussions were held regarding the governance bodies for Prüm II and the EU-Visa Application Platform (EU-VAP), set to commence in early 2025.
Additionally, the Agency’s Internal Auditor provided a comprehensive update on outstanding audit recommendations, including insights into the European Court of Auditors’ 2023 audit. Budgetary discussions were held on the implementation for 2024 and the planned global budget transfer to 2025. Updates were also provided on the Agency’s research strategy, the new building in Strasbourg, and the status of the eu-LISA backup site in St. Johann im Pongau.
Finally, the Agency and COM updated the Board on the ongoing recruitment process for the position of Executive Director of eu-LISA.
