A new type of alert will be added to the EU’s Schengen Information System as of 15 October 2026, allowing information from trusted third countries and international organisations about suspected terrorists and serious criminals to be shared across the bloc in real time.
The Schengen Information System, known as SIS, is a large shared database used by border guards, police and other authorities in Schengen countries to circulate alerts about people and objects, the European Commission said in a statement on Wednesday.
Member states will be able to enter information received from external partners into SIS, with support from the EU policing agency Europol, it added.
The Commission said the information could cover foreign terrorist fighters, suspects in serious crime investigations and individuals suspected of terrorist activities.
Once entered, member states can issue an “information alert” based on that material.
Information-sharing with external partners
“Terrorists and serious criminals do not stop at our borders, and neither should the information needed to stop them,” Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen said.
“Europe’s security is only as strong as the information behind it,” commented Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner.
Other alert categories already available in SIS will continue to be used, including alerts linked to arrest warrants and alerts for refusals of entry or stay.
