REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the state of play of preparations for full implementation of the Interoperability Regulations in accordance with Article 78(5) of Regulation (EU) 2019/817 and Article 74(5) of Regulation (EU) 2019/818
Date: 2025-04-10
Institutions: Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission
Subjects: EU migration policy, EU visa policy, European Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, Schengen Information System, area of freedom, security and justice, biometrics, data protection, external border of the EU, information system, systems interconnection, user guide

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 10.4.2025  COM(2025) 162 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the state of play of preparations for full implementation of the Interoperability Regulations in accordance with Article 78(5) of Regulation (EU) 2019/817 and Article 74(5) of Regulation (EU) 2019/818  
 
 
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND 
THE COUNCIL 

on the state of play of preparations for full implementation of the Interoperability 
Regulations in accordance with Article 78(5) of Regulation (EU) 2019/817 and 
Article 74(5) of Regulation (EU) 2019/818 

1.  Introduction 

Interoperability  entails  using  large-scale  EU  information  systems  for  managing  migration, 
borders and security to generate efficiency gains and economies of scale without the need to 
collect more data. These systems include the Entry-Exit-System (EES)1, the European Travel 
Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)2, the European Criminal Records Information 
System  for  Third-country  Nationals  (ECRIS-TCN)3,  the  Schengen  Information  System 
(SIS)4, the Visa Information System (VIS)5 and Eurodac6. These systems, some of which are 
new  while  others  have  been  upgraded,  will  interact  with  one  another  through  newly 
established interoperability components and a tool for statistical reporting. 

Regulation 

1 Regulation 2017/2226 establishing an Entry/Exit System (EES) to register entry and exit data and refusal of 
entry  data  of  third-country  nationals  crossing  the  external  borders  of  the  Member  States  and  determining  the 
conditions for access to the EES for law enforcement purposes, and amending the Convention implementing the 
Schengen Agreement and Regulations (EC) No 767/2008 and (EU) No 1077/2011 (OJ L 327, 9.12.2017, p. 20 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/2226/oj). 
2  Regulation  (EU)  2018/1240  establishing  a  European Travel  Information  and Authorisation  System  (ETIAS) 
and amending Regulations (EU) No 1077/2011, (EU) No 515/2014, (EU) 2016/399, (EU) 2016/1624 and (EU) 
2017/2226 (OJ L 236, 19.9.2018, p. 1 http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1240/oj). 
3 Regulation (EU) 2019/816 establishing a centralised system for the identification of Member States holding 
conviction  information  on  third-country  nationals  and  stateless  persons  (ECRIS-TCN)  to  supplement  the 
European  Criminal  Records  Information  System  and  amending  Regulation  (EU)  2018/1726  (OJ  L  135, 
22.5.2019, p. 1 http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/816/oj). 
4 Regulation 2018/1860 on the use of the Schengen Information System for the return of illegally staying third-
country  nationals  (OJ  L  312,  7.12.2018,  p. 1  http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1860/oj);  Regulation  (EU) 
2018/1861  on  the  establishment,  operation  and  use  of  the  Schengen  Information  System  (SIS)  in  the  field  of 
border  checks,  and  amending  the  Convention  implementing  the  Schengen  Agreement,  and  amending  and 
repealing 
p. 14 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1861/oj); and Regulation (EU) 2018/1862 on the establishment, operation and 
use  of  the  Schengen  Information  System  (SIS)  in  the  field  of  police  cooperation  and  judicial  cooperation  in 
criminal  matters,  amending  and  repealing  Council  Decision  2007/533/JHA,  and  repealing  Regulation  (EC) 
No 1986/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Decision 210/261/EU (OJ L 312, 
7.12.2018, p. 56 http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1862/oj). 
5  Regulation  (EU)  2021/1134  amending  Regulations  (EC)  No 767/2008,  (EC)  No 810/2009,  (EU) 2016/399, 
(EU) 2017/2226, (EU) 2018/1240, (EU) 2018/1860, (EU) 2018/1861, (EU) 2019/817 and (EU) 2019/1896 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Decisions 2004/512/EC and 2008/633/JHA, for 
the 
p. 11 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1134/oj). 
6  Regulation  (EU)  2024/1358  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  14 May  2024  on  the 
establishment of ‘Eurodac’ for the comparison of biometric data in order to effectively apply Regulations (EU) 
2024/1351  and  (EU)  2024/1350  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  and  Council  Directive 
2001/55/EC and to identify illegally staying third-country nationals and stateless persons and on requests for the 
comparison with Eurodac data by Member States’ law enforcement authorities and Europol for law enforcement 
purposes,  amending  Regulations  (EU)  2018/1240  and  (EU)  2019/818  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the 
Council  and  repealing  Regulation  (EU)  No 603/2013  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council. 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1358/oj 

Information  System 

No 1987/2006 

13.7.2021, 

7.12.2018, 

the  Visa 

reforming 

(OJ  L 

purpose 

(EC) 

312, 

248, 

(OJ 

of 

L 

1 

 
 
 
 
The  Regulations7  establishing  the  framework  for  interoperability  entered  into  force  on 
11 June  2019  and  paved  the  way  for  the  creation  of  the  European  Search  Portal  (ESP),  the 
shared  Biometric  Matching  Service  (sBMS),  the  Common  Identity  Repository  (CIR),  the 
Multiple-Identity  Detector  (MID)  and  the  Central  Repository  for  Reporting  and  Statistics 
(CRRS). These new components will streamline searches carried out by national authorities 
in line with their access rights and will help them detect fraudulent identities and investigate 
criminal  organisations.  The  architecture  put  in  place  also  includes  data  quality  control 
mechanisms  to  ensure  that  the  data  entered  is  accurate  and  up  to  date.  Data  processing  is 
subject to a robust data protection framework. 

The Regulations require the Commission to monitor and evaluate progress on implementation 
in cooperation with the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-
Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA). On this basis, the 
Commission  submits  annual  reports  to  the  European  Parliament  and  to  the  Council  on  the 
state  of  play  of  preparations  for  full  implementation  of  the  Regulations.  This  is  the  fifth 
report,  covering  the  period  from  December  2023  to  December  2024.  As  there  are  similar 
reporting obligations for each system that is part of the interoperability framework, this report 
will focus on the implementation of the Regulations. The state of play for individual systems 
will be provided only where necessary for the purposes of the report. 

2.  State of play of the implementation of the interoperability 

components and tools by the Commission 

The  Regulations  empower  the  Commission  to  adopt  delegated  and  implementing  acts  to 
supplement  and  implement  certain  detailed  technical  aspects  of  interoperability.  Those 
aspects are used by eu-LISA for their development as they are responsible for designing and 
developing the components and tools within their system architecture.  

All  acts  required  to  ensure  interoperability  have  now  been  adopted  (three  delegated  and  10 
implementing  acts).  During  the  reporting  period,  the  following  regulations  relevant  to 
interoperability  were  adopted:  (i)  Regulation  (EU)  2024/982  on  Prüm  II8;  (ii)  Regulation 
(EU)  2024/1358  on  Eurodac9;  (iii)  Regulations  (EU)  2024/135210  and  2024/1356  on 

7 Regulation (EU) 2019/817 on establishing a framework for interoperability between EU information systems 
in the field of borders and visa and amending Regulations (EC) No 767/2008, (EU) 2016/399, (EU) 2017/2226, 
(EU)  2018/1240,  (EU)  2018/1726  and  (EU)  2018/1861  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  and 
Council  Decisions  2004/512/EC  and  2008/633/JHA  http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/817/oj; and Regulation 
(EU) 2019/818 on establishing a framework for interoperability between EU information systems in the field of 
police  and  judicial  cooperation,  asylum  and  migration  and  amending  Regulations  (EU)  2018/1726,  (EU) 
2018/1862  and 
these 
(EU)  2019/816  http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/818/oj. Throughout 
Regulations are referenced to as ‘the Regulations’. 
8 Regulation (EU) 2024/982 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 March 2024 on the automated 
search  and  exchange  of  data  for  police  cooperation,  and  amending  Council  Decisions 2008/615/JHA 
and 2008/616/JHA  and  Regulations  (EU) 2018/1726,  (EU)  No 2019/817  and  (EU) 2019/818  of  the  European 
Parliament and of the Council (the Prüm II Regulation) http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/982/oj;  
9 Regulation (EU) 2024/1358 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on the 
establishment of ‘Eurodac’ for the comparison of biometric data in order to effectively apply Regulations (EU) 
2024/1351 and (EU) 2024/1350 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 

report 

the 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
screening of third-country nationals11; and (iv) Regulations (EU) 2025/1212 and 2025/13 on 
API13.  Seven  acts  still  need  to  be  amended  to  adapt  secondary  legislation  to  recent 
developments.  The  Commission  drafted  amendments  that  were  discussed  in  the  relevant 
committees and expert groups so that a stable version of the acts could be agreed on by the 
end of the reporting period. The adoption of these acts is scheduled for the first half of 2025. 

The  Commission  is  also  required  to  make  available  a  practical  handbook  for  the 
implementation  and  management  of  interoperability  components  under  Article 77  of 
Regulation (EU) 2019/817 and Article 73 of Regulation (EU) 2019/818. The purpose of the 
handbook is to give users of EU information systems (such as border, visa, immigration and 
law  enforcement  authorities)  user-friendly  guidance  on  how  to  use  the  interoperability 
features provided. The handbook is developed by the Commission in close cooperation with 
the Member States, eu-LISA, Europol, Frontex and the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA). 
Discussions  were  held  that  resulted  in  a  stable  version  of  the  document  by  the  end  of  the 
reporting period. The Commission will review the document during Q1-2025, with adoption 
scheduled for Q2-2025. 

The  Commission  has  also  set  up  a  digital  platform14  where  the  systems’  handbooks  are 
available  in  digital  form.  Users  of  EU  information  systems  face  an  increasingly  complex 
work  environment  due  to  the  introduction  of  new  features,  such  as  manual  verification  of 
yellow links15, which require multiple systems and components to be consulted at the same 
time.  The  platform  was  therefore  designed  to  be  user-friendly,  allowing  individual  users  to 
see  what  is  relevant  to  them  (filtering  out  what  is  not  relevant),  and  to  navigate  easily 
between handbooks where a procedure requires this. The platform was made available to the 
Member States during the reporting period. 

2001/55/EC and to identify illegally staying third-country nationals and stateless persons and on requests for the 
comparison with Eurodac data by Member States’ law enforcement authorities and Europol for law enforcement 
purposes, amending Regulations (EU) 2018/1240 and (EU) 2019/818 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council and repealing Regulation (EU) No 603/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1358/oj. 
10 Regulation (EU) 2024/1352 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 amending 
Regulations (EU) 2019/816 and (EU) 2019/818 for the purpose of introducing the screening of third-country 
nationals at the external borders http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1352/oj; 
11 Regulation (EU) 2024/1356 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 introducing the 
screening of third-country nationals at the external borders and amending Regulations (EC) No 767/2008, (EU) 
2017/2226, (EU) 2018/1240 and (EU) 2019/817 http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1356/oj; 
12 Regulation (EU) 2025/12 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 on the 
collection and transfer of advance passenger information for enhancing and facilitating external border checks, 
amending Regulations (EU) 2018/1726 and (EU) 2019/817, and repealing Council Directive 2004/82/EC  
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/12/oj; 
13  Regulation  (EU)  2025/13  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  19 December  2024  on  the 
collection  and  transfer  of  advance  passenger  information  for  the  prevention,  detection,  investigation  and 
(EU)  2019/818 
terrorist  offences  and  serious  crime,  and  amending  Regulation 
prosecution  of 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/13/oj;  
14 The tool can be accessed via a website hosted by the Commission’s IT service (DIGIT). Access is restricted to 
users of the systems covered by the handbooks. 
15 A yellow link means that the Multi-Identity Detector concluded that there is both similarity as well as a 
significant discrepancy between two data sets, indicating a potential issue with the person’s identity. Each 
yellow link has to be manually verified by the responsible authority.  

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3.  State  of  play  of  the  implementation  of  interoperability  by  Member 

States and EU agencies 

The  Regulations  set  up  a  governance  framework,  consisting  of  the  Interoperability 
Programme  Management  Board  and  the  Interoperability  Advisory  Group,  to  ensure  the 
interoperability components and tools are correctly designed and developed. The two bodies 
operate  under  the  umbrella  of  eu-LISA,  and  the  Commission  is  a  member  of  both.  These 
bodies discuss the technical implementation of the Regulations and monitor progress through 
a  monthly  or  bi-monthly  questionnaire  sent  to  the  Member  States  and  the  relevant  EU 
agencies about the technical preparations they have undertaken. 

Regular monitoring by eu-LISA shows that, by the end of the reporting period, most Member 
States and agencies were well on track to ensure timely readiness. Although several Member 
States report a delay, none are considered at risk of failing to comply. A few Member States 
are not regularly contributing to this regular monitoring exercise, something the Commission 
has  raised  with  them  at  the  highest  level.  Informing  the  Commission  and  eu-LISA  of  the 
progress  of  national  interoperability  implementation  is  essential  to  allow  any  necessary 
mitigation measures to be taken early on. 

eu-LISA,  the  agency  responsible  for  the  technical  development  of  interoperability 
components and tools, made steady progress during the reporting period. The development of 
the sBMS is in its final stages and preparations are ongoing  for its entry into operation. As 
with  all  interoperability  components  and  tools,  it  will  be  launched  in  parallel  with  an  EU 
information system that makes use of the services it provides.16 

The  technical  development  of  the  European  Search  Portal  (ESP)  is  also  well  under  way. 
Several improved versions have been developed and test activities are ongoing. The ESP is 
expected to enter into operation in parallel with the first EU information system that makes 
use of its services, which is most likely, the European Criminal Records Information System 
for Third-country Nationals (ECRIS-TCN). The outlook is similar for the Common Identity 
Repository  (CIR),  as  it  is  at  a  similar  level  of  technical  development  and  is  also  currently 
being tested. Like the ESP, the CIR will be launched in parallel with the first EU information 
system that makes use of the services. 

The Multiple-Identity Detector (MID), developed by eu-LISA, is also on track, with testing 
currently in progress. The Central Unit of Frontex will have an important operational role in 
processing  yellow  links  during  the  MID  transitional  period17.  Frontex  reports  that 
preparations  are  on  track,  and  eu-LISA’s  development  of  the  tool  that  Frontex  will  use  for 
this  task  is  also  progressing  well.  As  a  result  of  the  recent  adoption  of  the  new  Eurodac 
Regulation, and its inclusion in the interoperability framework, Eurodac data will fall under 
the MID transitional period. The impact of this development on the work of the Central Unit 
is currently under evaluation. 

16 Given the current state of play, the sBMS will most likely be launched as part of the VIS release necessary for 
the subsequent entry into operation of the Entry/Exit System. 
17 Article 69 of Regulation (EU) 2019/817 and Article 65 of Regulation (EU) 2019/818. 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  development  of  the  Central  Repository  for  Reporting  and  Statistics  (CRRS)  is  also 
progressing  well,  and  at  the  end  of  the  reporting  period  testing  was  under  preparation.  The 
CRRS will be launched in parallel with the ESP and the CIR. 

4.  Training needs 

The  Commission  continued  to  support  interoperability-related  training  during  the  reporting 
period.  While  most  training  sessions  focus  on  raising  awareness  about  the  requirements 
arising  from  the  Regulations,  there  is  increasing  demand  for  more  in-depth  training.  The 
reason for this could be that knowledge of the subject varies significantly between Member 
States,  and  often  between  communities  in  the  same  Member  State.  The  Commission 
participated in interoperability training provided by CEPOL18 in Malta in November 2024. It 
also  supported  the  European  Agency  for  Fundamental  Rights  by  helping  it  set  up  an  e-
learning  course  on  EU  information  systems  for  migration  management  and  policing, 
alongside an e-learning course on interoperability and fundamental rights. 

For the next  reporting period,  the Commission  expects  to  see a growing  interest  in  specific 
interoperability-related  topics,  such  as  the  MID  and  associated  procedures,  alongside 
continued  demand  for  general  information  about  the  Regulations.  The  Commission  will 
continue to work with stakeholders in order to meet these demands. 

5.  EU funds 

On interoperability-related funding for eu-LISA, the latest progress report19 states that, as of 
May  2024,  EUR 121.1 million  had  been  committed  and  EUR 71.4 million  paid  for 
development and implementation activities. 

Member States have been encouraged to  make  full use of the  funding  available under their 
national  programmes  supported  by  the  Internal  Security  Fund  –  Border  and  Visa20  for  the 
period  2014-2020  by  the  date  the  eligibility  of  expenditure  expires  on  30 June  2024.  They 
have also been encouraged to use resources available under national programmes funded by 
the  Instrument  for  Financial  Support  for  Border  Management  and  Visa  Policy  (BMVI)21  to 
further develop and implement interoperability of EU information systems. 

6.  Conclusion 

18 The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training. 
19 Tenth progress report on the development of interoperability as per Article 78(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/817 
and Article 74(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/818 (2023-215). 
20 Regulation (EU) No 515/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 establishing, 
as part of the Internal Security Fund, the instrument for financial support for external borders and visa and 
repealing Decision No 574/2007/EC http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/515/oj; 
21 Regulation (EU) 2021/1148 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing, as part 
of the Integrated Border Management Fund, the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and 
Visa Policy http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1148/oj; 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ensuring  interoperability  is  an  essential  part  of  an  improved  IT  architecture  for  new  and 
upgraded  EU  information  systems.  The  aim  is  not  only  to  give  border,  visa,  asylum, 
immigration and law enforcement bodies faster, more efficient and systematic access to data, 
but also to ensure that the millions of third-country nationals who visit the European Union 
every year have a smoother and safer border crossing. 

Significant  progress  has  been  made  in  the  current  reporting  period  on  the  technical 
development and testing of interoperability components and tools, and on the development of 
supporting  measures  such  as  the  interoperability  handbook  and  the  digital  platform  that 
allows easy access to them. The next reporting period is likely to see the launch of the first 
interoperability components and the statistical reporting tool, depending on when the related 
EU information  systems are launched. As explained  above, the  interoperability components 
and  tool  enter  into  operation  at  the  same  time  as  the  first  system  that  makes  use  of  their 
services. 

The Commission  will continue to  closely  monitor progress  and assess risks  associated with 
implementing  the  Regulations.  The  Council  and  the  European  Parliament  will  be  kept 
informed  of  the  progress  made  through  regular  reporting  and  via  the  Commission’s 
committees and expert groups. 

6