BRUSSELS, Belgium / RankWire.AI / – The European Union has introduced an expanded information alert within the Schengen Information System aimed at bolstering efforts against terrorism and organized crime. Effective from October 15, this update allows real-time sharing of data from third countries and international entities concerning suspected terrorists and serious offenders across the entire EU. Member States are now enabled to input this reliable information directly into the system, with Europol providing support during the process.
This new alert category encompasses foreign terrorist fighters, suspects under serious criminal investigations, and individuals believed to be involved in terrorist acts. Member States may issue alerts based on data received from external partners. When border guards and police officers perform checks against the system, they will be able to view these alerts. The European Commission highlighted that this enhancement will improve law enforcement’s ability to identify more criminals and terrorists, while also facilitating closer cooperation among authorities.
Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner emphasized that Europe’s security depends on the quality of available information. The system, managed by eu-LISA, the EU agency responsible for large-scale IT systems, handled 17.76 billion searches in 2025, marking an 18% increase compared to the previous year. At year’s end, the system stored over 94.6 million alerts. Member States reported nearly 365,000 hits on alerts issued by other nations.
Europol reviews and confirms intelligence from external sources
The newly added category is based on Regulation (EU) 2022/1190, adopted by EU lawmakers on July 6, 2022. This regulation addresses a previous gap in how external intelligence reaches law enforcement officers. Historically, information about suspects from third countries and international organizations was mainly shared with Europol, which meant officers checking someone at a border or during police stops could not access it. The new alert system aims to provide that intelligence directly to officers during routine checks.
Europol is responsible for analyzing and verifying information obtained from external partners before recommending an alert. Subsequently, a Member State can choose whether to input the alert into the system. Only Member States are authorized to generate these alerts, which can only concern third-country nationals. The suspected crimes must align with Europol’s mandate, including terrorism and other serious offences. Europol has issued a warning that serious criminal networks continue to pose a significant threat throughout the EU.
Existing alert categories continue to operate alongside new ones
The new alert type supplements existing categories in the system. Member States can continue issuing alerts related to arrest warrants, refusals of entry, or stay for non-EU nationals. When an officer finds a match with an alert, they contact the issuing country through the network of national SIRENE Bureaux. These offices exchange additional information and coordinate subsequent actions among involved authorities.
The system upgrade is now active in all countries linked to it. Authorities will evaluate on a case-by-case basis which partner information to convert into an alert. The European Commission stated that this change will enable border guards and police officers to respond more swiftly to shared intelligence and strengthen cooperation among law enforcement agencies. Officers will start seeing the new alerts during routine checks from October 15.