Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/875 of 13 May 2025 determining the date on which operations of the shared Biometric Matching Service start pursuant to Regulations (EU) 2019/817 and (EU) 2019/818 of the European Parliament and of the Council
Date: 2025-05-13
Institutions: Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission
Subjects: EU migration policy, EU visa policy, Schengen Information System, biometrics, data protection, exchange of information, external border of the EU, information system, personal data








L_202500875EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/875


14.5.2025







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2025/875
of 13 May 2025
         
determining the date on which operations of the shared Biometric Matching Service start pursuant to Regulations (EU) 2019/817 and (EU) 2019/818 of the European Parliament and of the Council


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/817 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2019 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 (1), and in particular Article 72(2) thereof,


Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/818 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2019 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 (EU) 2019/816 (2), and in particular Article 68(2) thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


Regulation (EU) 2019/817, together with Regulation (EU) 2019/818, establishes a framework to ensure interoperability between the EU information systems in the field of borders, visa, police and judicial cooperation, asylum and migration.












(2)


That framework comprises a number of interoperability components, including the shared Biometric Matching Service. The shared Biometric Matching Service stores biometric templates, obtained from the biometric data stored in the Common Identity Repository and the Schengen Information System. This component enables querying across several EU information systems by submitting biometric data.












(3)


Since the entry into force of Regulations (EU) 2019/817 and (EU) 2019/818, the Commission and the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) have completed the necessary legal and technical arrangements to implement the new rules to enable storing biometric templates and querying across EU information systems in the scope of the Interoperability framework.












(4)


In accordance with Regulations (EU) 2019/817 and (EU) 2019/818, the Commission is to determine the date on which the operations of the shared Biometric Matching Service start, following verification of the conditions laid down in Article 72(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/817 and Article 68(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/818. Pursuant to Article 72(2), second subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2019/817 and Article 68(2), second subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2019/818, that date is to be set to be within 30 days from adoption of this Decision.












(5)


The Commission has verified that the implementing acts necessary for the operation of the shared Biometric Matching Service were adopted (3); that eu-LISA declared the successful completion of a comprehensive test of the shared Biometric Matching Service, which was conducted in cooperation with the Member States’ authorities; that eu-LISA notified that it validated the technical and legal arrangements to collect and transmit the relevant biometric data; that eu-LISA declared the successful completion of a comprehensive test of the automated data quality control mechanisms and procedures, the common data quality indicators and the minimum data quality standards relevant to the shared Biometric Matching Service, which it has conducted in cooperation with the Member States’ authorities. The declarations by eu-LISA have been submitted to the Commission by the date of the adoption of this Decision.












(6)


It is therefore appropriate to determine the date on which the operations of the shared Biometric Matching Service start.












(7)


Given that the Commission is to determine a future date on which the operations of the shared Biometric Matching Service start, there is no need for any intermediate time period between the date of publication and the date of entry into force of this Decision. Therefore, this Decision should enter into force on the day of its publication.












(8)


Given that Regulations (EU) 2019/817 and (EU) 2019/818 build upon the Schengen acquis, in accordance with Article 4 of Protocol No 22 on the Position of Denmark, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Denmark notified the implementation of Regulations (EU) 2019/817 and (EU) 2019/818 in its national law. It is therefore bound by this Decision.












(9)


This Decision does not constitute a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in which Ireland takes part in accordance with Council Decision 2002/192/EC (4). Ireland is therefore not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is not bound by it or subject to its application.












(10)


As regards Iceland and Norway, this Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement concluded by the Council of the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning the association of those two States with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (5), which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A of Council Decision 1999/437/EC (6).












(11)


As regards Switzerland, this Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (7), which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A of Decision 1999/437/EC, read in conjunction with Article 3 of Council Decision 2008/146/EC (8).












(12)


As regards Liechtenstein, this Decision constitutes a development of the provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Protocol between the European Union, the European Community, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein on the accession of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (9) which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point A of Decision 1999/437/EC read in conjunction with Article 3 of Council Decision 2011/350/EU (10).












(13)


As regards Cyprus, this Decision constitutes an act building upon, or otherwise relating to, the Schengen acquis within the meaning of Article 3(1) of the 2003 Act of Accession,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The operations of the shared Biometric Matching Service pursuant to Regulations (EU) 2019/817 and (EU) 2019/818 shall start on 19 May 2025.


Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.




Done at Brussels, 13 May 2025.


For the Commission


The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN
            





(1)  
            OJ L 135, 22.5.2019, p. 27, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/817/oj.

(2)  
            OJ L 135, 22.5.2019, p. 85, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/818/oj.

(3)  Commission Implementing Decision of 26.8.2021 laying down the performance requirements and practical arrangements for monitoring the performance of the shared biometric matching service pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EU) 2019/817 (C(2021) 6159); Commission Implementing Decision of 26.8.2021 laying down the performance requirements and practical arrangements for monitoring the performance of the shared biometric matching service pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EU) 2019/818 (C(2021) 6169); Commission Implementing Decision of 16.9.2021 laying down the specifications of the cooperation procedure as regards security incidents that have or may have an impact on the operation of the interoperability components or on the availability, integrity and confidentiality of the data, pursuant to Article 43(5) of Regulation (EU) 2019/817 (C(2021) 6663); Commission Implementing Decision of 16.9.2021 laying down the specifications of the cooperation procedure as regards security incidents that have or may have an impact on the operation of the interoperability components or on the availability, integrity and confidentiality of the data, pursuant to Article 43(5) of Regulation (EU) 2019/818 (C(2021) 6664).

(4)  Council Decision 2002/192/EC of 28 February 2002 concerning Ireland’s request to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 64, 7.3.2002, p. 20, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2002/192/oj).

(5)  
            OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 36, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/1999/439(1)/oj.

(6)  Council Decision 1999/437/EC of 17 May 1999 on certain arrangements for the application of the Agreement concluded by the Council of the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning the association of those two States with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 31, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/1999/437/oj).

(7)  
            OJ L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 52, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2008/178(1)/oj.

(8)  Council Decision 2008/146/EC of 28 January 2008 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis (OJ L 53, 27.2.2008, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2008/146/oj).

(9)  
            OJ L 160, 18.6.2011, p. 21.

(10)  Council Decision 2011/350/EU of 7 March 2011 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol between the European Union, the European Community, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein on the accession of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation’s association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis, relating to the abolition of checks at internal borders and movement of persons (OJ L 160, 18.6.2011, p. 19, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2011/350/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/875/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)