European Council Adopts Acts for Consultation of Visa Information System by Designated Authorities of EU Members and Europol

On June 23, 2008, the European Union (EU) Council adopted a decision for access to the consultation of the Visa Information System (VIS) by designated authorities of EU Members and by Europol for the purposes of the prevention, detection and investigation of terrorist offenses and of other serious offenses. The EU Council took action to implement Council Decision 2004/512/EC of June 8, 2004, establishing the Visa Information System (VIS). In particular, it established the VIS as a system for the exchange of visa data between EU Member States. The establishment of the VIS represents one of the key initiatives within the policies of the EU aimed at establishing an area of freedom, security and justice. The VIS should have the purpose of improving the implementation of the common visa policy and should also contribute towards internal security and to combating terrorism under clearly defined and monitored circumstances...[more]