Home | Observatories Index STATEWATCH OBSERVATORY IT Systems and Information Exchange for Police and Judicial Cooperation in the European Union Index European Criminal Records Information System European Police Records Index System Information Exchange Platform for Law Enforcement Authorities The European Union has developed over the years a wide number of databases and networked computer systems designed to increase and enhance cooperation between police and judicial authorities. These tools frequently provide state authorities with significant powers, yet lack the checks, balances, oversight and scrutiny necessary to ensure that they are not used in a manner detrimental to fundamental rights. This observatory currently contains information, analysis and documentation on the European Criminal Records Information System, the European Police Records Index System, and the Information Exchange Platform for Law Enforcement Authorities, which are examined together in a recent Statewatch Analysis. A recent Commission communication on the European Information Exchange Model cancelled the EPRIS project, saying it "is currently not justified given that existing instruments and tools, which could serve this purpose partly or fully through better or intensified use, are not fully used." Future work will be geared towards more intensive and extensive use of existing systems, in particular those whose use means that information exchanged amongst Member States can be shared with Europol at the same time. Work is also underway to automate "time-consuming manual tasks" related to the exchange of data, while preparatory studies for the Information Exchange Platform for Law Enforcement Authorities are ongoing. Other large-scale IT systems in the EU include the Schengen Information System (SIS), the Visa Information System (VIS), the Information Management Strategy (IMS), the EU Agency for Large-Scale IT Systems, the 'Prüm' Decisions, and the 'Swedish Framework Decision'. Until information is included in this observatory, further information on all these measures can be found by searching the Statewatch Database. A European Parliament study published in late 2012 examines the EU's databases and computer networks: Evaluating current and forthcoming proposals on JHA databases and a smart borders system at EU external borders (pdf) Recent updates European Police Records Index System: 27/02/2013 Information Exchange Platform for Law Enforcement Authorities: 27/02/2013 European Criminal Records Information System: 27/02/2013