Hier, le gouvernement de la République Démocratique du Congo a sommé l’ambassadeur représentant l’Union européenne de quitter le pays. Rien ne saurait justifier cet acte arbitraire.

Quant à la réciprocité invoquée suite aux sanctions individuelles adoptées à l’encontre de certains citoyens congolais, l’UE tient à rappeler que ces mesures sont liées aux violations des droits de l’homme et aux obstacles créés à une sortie pacifique de la crise en RDC. Elles ont été adoptées le 12 décembre 2016 et le 29 mai 2017 à l’unanimité des 28 Etats membres de l’UE, et seront examinées à nouveau compte tenu des élections en RDC, en les adaptant éventuellement en conséquence.

L’UE est un partenaire de premier plan de la RDC et de sa population, en y maintenant une coopération importante. A la veille d’élections cruciales pour le pays, elle estime que cette décision est totalement contre-productive, nuisant aux intérêts de la population.

Comme la Haute Représentante Federica Mogherini l’avait déclaré au nom de l’UE le 22 novembre, la tenue d’élections inclusives, transparentes, crédibles et pacifiques sera importante pour l’engagement futur de l’Union européenne en RDC. L’UE partage entièrement la préoccupation manifestée par les leaders de la région réunis en urgence à Brazzaville ce 26 décembre, et leur appel à l’apaisement et la retenue en vue de la tenue des scrutins dans la sérénité.

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The SIS is Europe’s most widely used information sharing system for security and border management. Consulted over 5 billion times by national authorities in 2017, the upgraded database will help border guards to better monitor who is crossing the EU’s borders; support police and law enforcement in capturing dangerous criminals and terrorists; and offer greater protection for missing children and vulnerable adults, in line with the new data protection rules.

Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos said: “We are closing a critical security gap today in the EU. Member States will have an obligation to introduce terrorism alerts into the reinforced Schengen Information System. Anyone posing a threat should not go unnoticed anymore: the interoperability of SIS with our other information systems on security, borders and migration in the near future will make sure that all the dots are properly connected on our radar screens.”

Commissioner for the Security Union Julian King said: “The SIS is a key tool for security in the EU, allowing national authorities to catch criminals and terrorists all over Europe. The new obligation to create SIS alerts will help make Europe safer – especially when it comes to tackling terrorism – as part of our wider efforts to strengthen information sharing and make our information systems work together more effectively.”

As of today, new rules on alerts related to terrorism apply:

• Greater vigilance for terrorist offences: As of today, national authorities are obliged to create a SIS alert for all cases related to terrorist offences. By the end of 2019, Member States will also have to inform Europol of hits alerts linked to terrorism, which will help to connect the dots at the European level.
• Stronger data protection rules: The new rules have been brought into line with the new General Data Protection Regulation and the Police Directive on data protection.

A number of other new functionalities in the SIS will be implemented in phases, with a requirement for the system to be fully operational in Member States 3 years following entry into force of the legislation:

• New alerts on criminals and return decisions: The new rules will allow SIS alerts to be issued for unknown persons who are wanted in connection with a crime. In addition, a new alert category for “return decisions” has been introduced to improve the enforcement of return decisions issued to irregularly staying third-country nationals;
• Stronger provisions on missing children and people in need: National authorities will be able to issue preventive alerts on persons who are in need of protection, in addition to existing alerts on missing persons;
• Enforcement of entry bans: It will be now compulsory to insert into SIS any entry bans issued to third-country nationals preventing them from entering the Schengen area;

Background

In his 2016 State of the Union Address, President Juncker highlighted the importance of overcoming the current shortcomings in data management and of improving the interoperability of existing information systems. A strengthened Schengen Information System (SIS) is one of the foundations of this work.

As a result of a comprehensive evaluation of the SIS carried out in 2016, some areas were identified where operational and technical improvements could be made. The legislative proposals presented by the Commission in December 2016 implemented the recommendations set out in this evaluation report as well as the commitment made by President Juncker in his 2016 State of the Union Address. Co-legislators adopted the Commission proposals in November 2018.

The Schengen Information System (SIS) is a large-scale, centralised information system that supports checks at the external Schengen borders and improves law enforcement and judicial cooperation in 30 countries throughout Europe. It currently contains around 79 million records, and was consulted 5 billion times in 2017. The SIS notably provides information on individuals who do not have the right to enter or stay in the Schengen area, persons sought in relation to criminal activities and missing persons, as well as details of certain lost or stolen objects (for example cars, firearms, boats and identity documents) and data that is needed to locate a person and confirm their identity.

For More Information

Press Release – Security Union: Commission proposes to reinforce the Schengen Information System to better fight terrorism and cross-border crime

DG HOME website – Schengen Information System

• EU bank provides firm with loan of up to EUR 115m
• The project will help create 1 500 jobs during the implementation phase, together with over 400 permanent positions

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is to provide EUR 115m of financing to MERLIN to develop four new latest generation logistics parks in Castilla-La Mancha. The project will make it possible to meet the growing demand for space and logistics services driven by various factors including the growth of online retail.

EIB Vice-President Emma Navarro, MERLIN’s Corporate Managing Director Miguel Ollero and its Financial Director Fernando Lacadena signed a EUR 51m loan agreement  in Madrid. This is the first tranche of a total of EUR 115m that the EIB will provide to develop this project. 

With total surface area of around 400 000 m², the new logistics parks will be located in established logistics zones. In concrete terms, three of the parks will be built in the Cabanillas and Azuqueca de Henares areas (Guadalajara), and the fourth in Seseña (Toledo). These are strategic locations given that the expansion of online retail is increasing demand for logistics space near the Madrid-Barcelona (A2) and Madrid-South (A4) corridors.

In addition to being located in a priority region under the EU’s cohesion policy, the project also has an environmental component as the new buildings will be latest generation logistical warehouses including measures contributing to energy efficiency and the use of alternative energies. They will be sustainable buildings with the LEED Silver/BREEAM very good accreditation.

The logistics platforms will also have high capacities to facilitate their activity. As well as generating new business opportunities surrounding areas, the project will have a direct positive effect on job creation, helping to employ 1 500 people during the implementation phase and over 400 on a permanent basis once operations begin. 

At the signing ceremony at the EIB’s offices in Madrid, EIB Vice-President Emma Navarro said: “We are delighted to support a project that contributes to economic, social and territorial cohesion within the EU by developing modern and sustainable logistics facilities helping to meet the growing needs of the sector. This project will generate significant economic and social externalities, both via the boost it will provide to competitiveness and economic development in Castilla-La Mancha and through its major contribution to job creation.”