Travel into EU's Schengen zone to be discussed in Brussels
Full checks on every person, including EU citizens, are on the table with France pressing for everyone to be subject to strict security checks.
The Schengen Information System is to be upgraded to allow police and border authorities to share data on who has been expelled or refused entry.
Commissioner Avromapalous said “Member States must make full use of the Schengen Information System (SIS) to exchange information.
They already have to use the Common Risk Indicators concerning Foreign Terrorist Fighters”.
However Ireland has still not installed the necessary equipment to be part of the SIS system and so does not receive the automatic alerts from all the other EU countries including Britain about suspects or lost or stolen passports.
The Department of Justice said, “the steps to achieve this are under active consideration”.
Laws against foreign terrorist fights are to be extended to include anybody that facilitates travel, financing, and passive training.
The Commission said ti would support building up a register of suspect bank accounts to clamp down on funding of terrorism.
Plans to record the details of all EU and other passengers flying in the EU have been held up because member states and the Euroepan Parliament cannot agree but ministers are expected to try to break the deadlock at tomorrow’s meeting.
Changes to the laws on weapons are also on the table with much stricter controls on semi-automatic weapons, decommissioned weapons and weapon parts that can be turned into guns. Some used in recent attacks were made from parts bought on the internet.
New rules on tackling trafficking in weapons and explosives are also due.
