In the European Agenda on Security and the European Agenda on Migration, the European Commission announced its intention to present new legislative proposals on a future EU ‘Smart Borders’ system by early 2016. This will be a point of interest for Third Countries National travelling to the Schengen zone.

In this context, a public consultation was launched on 29/07/2015 to give an opportunity to a variety of stakeholders to contribute to this process of developing the revised proposal. The consultation period will end on 29/10/2015.

Detailed information concerning the Smart Border Package and the consultation as well as the link to the questionnaire are available on DG HOME website (http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-is-new/public-consultation/2015/consulting_0030_en.htm).

All citizens (EU nationals and non-EU nationals) and organisations are welcome to contribute.

Contributions are sought from persons, Member States, EU Institutions, local, regional and national authorities, international organisations, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, academic institutions, third countries, social partners and civil society.

The Commission would in particular like to encourage members of the following target groups to participate:

  • Individuals, especially non-EU/third-country nationals that have travelled or intend to travel across the external borders of the Schengen area;
  • Public authorities, in particular EU Member States’ authorities and Schengen States’ authorities as well as third countries’ authorities dealing with international cooperation on return and migration and/or data exchange;
  • Organisations (including non-governmental and civil society organisations, academia, research bodies, social partners, interest groups, consultancies, think tanks…), in particular having as a stated objective:
  1. migrants and/or third-country nationals protection;
  2. fundamental rights, privacy and data protection.
  • Carriers, transport and tourism operators/organisations as well as infrastructure operators /organisations (airports, sea ports and railway stations).

Period of consultation: From 29/07/2015 to 29/10/2015