eu-LISA Newsletter Bits & Bytes 1/2025

In 2025, Europe marks two major milestones: 40 years of the Schengen Area and 30 years of the Schengen Information System (SIS) — the IT backbone that helps keep this border-free zone both secure and operational. 

Since its launch in 1995, SIS has enabled real-time cooperation between national authorities across Europe, safeguarding citizens while supporting one of the EU’s greatest achievements —...

The 56th Management Board meeting of eu-LISA was held on 18–19 June 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia. Representatives from Member States, the European Commission and associated countries gathered to review and discuss strategic, operational, and financial matters relevant to the Agency’s work.

Appointment of New Executive Director

The Management Board held a hearing with all three candidates proposed by...

On 20 May 2025, eu-LISA successfully launched the shared Biometric Matching Service (sBMS), the EU’s central biometric matching system, and upgraded the Visa Information System (VIS4EES). These two systems mark the completion of the first milestone of the Interoperability Roadmap, ensuring that Member States and EU Agencies are well prepared for future developments.

The technical activities...

In May 2025, eu-LISA’s Liaison Office in Brussels relocated to new premises on Avenue de Cortenbergh. The move enhances the Agency’s capacity to maintain close working relations with institutional stakeholders and continue supporting EU policy implementation in the area of freedom, security and justice.

The relocation was marked by a brief inauguration event attended by key institutional partners...

eu-LISA has released its Consolidated Annual Activity Report for 2024, highlighting key achievements and milestones in supporting EU policies through digital solutions.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of the Agency’s work in delivering, maintaining and evolving the large-scale IT systems that are essential for the implementation of EU policies in the areas of border management,...

The latest edition of the Industry Roundtable, titled ‘Building Better Government Software at Scale – Agile, DevSecOps and Software Factories’, took place on 11-12 June 2025 in Warsaw, Poland, under the patronage of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. The event was organised in a hybrid format allowing for in-person and online participation. This iteration focused on the benefits that...

Throughout the year, eu-LISA continued its efforts to contribute to a fully functioning and resilient Schengen area for the benefit of European citizens. Since all JHA systems managed by the Agency support the implementation of EU policies in the areas of border management, visas, migration and asylum, digitalisation, and also contribute to combating organised crime and terrorism, their continued...

As a public entity, eu-LISA is committed to promoting sustainability in line with its responsibilities to society and future generations. This is the Agency’s second sustainability report, published alongside the Consolidated Annual Activity Report. For 2024, eu-LISA has expanded the scope of its reporting to cover additional environmental, social, and economic aspects, reinforcing its commitment...

The SIS 2024 Annual Statistics Report is an annual public statistical document, published by eu-LISA, presenting a collection of data received from Member States and Associated Countries connected to SIS, combined with data available from the Central SIS system, as per the legal instruments governing the system. This report is accompanied by a factsheet.

eu-LISA Technology Brief series - Sovereign Cloud Technologies

This report covers key features of cloud technologies, their advantages and limitations, as well as the key challenges of the sovereign cloud.

Over the past decade, the IT industry has seen the rise of cloud technologies because they offer better value for money, are more scalable, and in some cases are more reliable than providing those IT services on premise. Additionally, the available human resources for development and maintenance are limited within the Agency, and using managed platform and software services could address some of...