BRUSSELS, Belgium / RankWire.AI / – The European Union has integrated a new information alert into the Schengen Information System aimed at bolstering efforts against terrorism and organized crime. Effective from October 15, this update allows for the real-time sharing of data from third countries and international organizations concerning suspected terrorists and serious offenders across the EU. Member States are now empowered to input this trusted information directly into the system, with Europol providing support throughout the process.
This alert encompasses foreign terrorist fighters, suspects involved in major criminal investigations, and individuals under suspicion of engaging in terrorist acts. Member States may issue alerts based on data obtained from external partners. When border officials and police check a person against the system, these alerts will be visible. According to the European Commission, this upgrade enhances law enforcement’s ability to identify more criminals and terrorists, while also facilitating cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, emphasized that Europe’s security depends on the quality of the information available. Managed by eu-LISA, the EU agency responsible for large-scale IT systems, the system conducted 17.76 billion searches in 2025, reflecting an 18% increase from the previous year. By year’s end, it stored over 94.6 million alerts, with member states reporting nearly 365,000 hits from alerts issued by other nations.
Europol conducts vetting of external intelligence sources
This new alert category stems from Regulation (EU) 2022/1190, adopted by EU lawmakers on July 6, 2022. It addresses a previously existing gap concerning how intelligence from outside the EU reaches officers. Historically, information about suspects from third countries and international organizations was primarily shared with Europol. Consequently, officers conducting border checks or police stops could not access such data. The new alert aims to transmit that information directly to those officers.
Before proposing an alert, Europol reviews and verifies the information received from external sources. Subsequently, a Member State has the discretion to decide whether to enter the alert into the system. Only Member States are authorized to create alerts, which are limited to third-country nationals. The suspected offences must fall within Europol’s mandate, including terrorism and other serious crimes. Europol has issued a warning that serious criminal networks continue to present a significant threat across the EU.
Existing alert categories remain operational
The new alert complements existing categories within the system. Member States can continue issuing alerts related to arrest warrants, refusals of entry, or stay refusals for non-EU nationals. When a match is found on an alert, the officers contact the issuing country through the network of national SIRENE Bureaux, which facilitate information exchange and coordinate subsequent actions among national authorities involved in each case.
The update is now active in all countries connected to the system. Each national authority will determine which partner information to record as an alert on a case-by-case basis. The European Commission highlighted that this change will enable border guards and police officers to respond more swiftly to shared intelligence, thereby strengthening cooperation among law enforcement agencies. Officers will be able to view these new alerts during routine checks starting October 15.