Fighting crime: faster EU-wide exchange of non-EU nationals’ criminal records

MEPs agreed in a vote on Tuesday to create a new database on the past convictions of third country nationals (ECRIS-TCN), to complement the existing European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS) that is used to exchange information on the previous convictions of EU citizens. The new centralised database will improve the exchange of information in regard to criminal records of non-EU nationals, throughout the EU, contributing to the EU’s fight against cross-border crime and terrorism. The new ECRIS Third Country National (ECRIS-TCN) system will:

• Enable national authorities to quickly establish whether any EU member state holds criminal records on a non-EU citizen,

• Include data on dual nationals, who possess the nationality of a third country and of an EU country to ensure that individuals cannot hide past convictions simply by virtue of having two passports.

The Parliament and Council negotiators have agreed that Europol, Eurojust and the future European Public Prosecutor’s Office will also have access to ECRIS and the Third Country National system, in addition to judges and prosecutors in EU countries. Quotes Rapporteur Daniel Dalton (ECR, UK) said: “Current rules mean it is very difficult to unmask the past convictions of non-EU nationals. The changes approved by the European Parliament today will make our citizens safer.” Next steps The ECRIS-TCN regulation was adopted by 379 to 170, 118 abstentions and the ECRIS-TCN directive by 422 to 130, 116 abstentions. The new rules have already been agreed upon by the Parliament and Council negotiators in December, but still require the formal approval of the Council. Background ECRIS was put in place in 2012 to exchange information on criminal convictions in the EU. However, using the current system to check the criminal records of a non-EU citizen is inefficient. According to the European Commission, in 2014 national authorities used less than five percent of information available in other countries’ criminal records in the conviction cases of third country nationals.