As of June 2026, the digitalisation of border and migration management at EU level has taken a major step forward, with the operationalisation of the new Eurodac database, the European Search Portal (ESP) and the Common Identity Repository (CIR), which enhance border security and identity management across the EU.
The three systems or tools prioritise respect of data protection and fundamental rights, with strict safeguards ensuring that: access to data is limited to authorised personnel (e.g., border guards, police, asylum officers), and biometric data is processed securely and in compliance with EU data protection laws, with oversight by the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) and national data protection authorities.
Eurodac - the EU asylum and migration database
Eurodac is the European Union's asylum and migration database. The updated Eurodac also helps authorities to tackle irregular migration, track secondary movements and improve returns of irregular migrants. EU Member States are obliged to register in Eurodac: asylum applicants; all those apprehended following irregular crossings of EU external borders; all those disembarked following search and rescue operations or found to be staying illegally in a Member State; as well as people arriving under a resettlement scheme and beneficiaries of temporary protection.
The identity and biometric data of those who were apprehended following irregular crossings of EU external borders, of those disembarked following a search and rescue operations and of resettled persons will remain in the system for 5 years, making it possible to retrieve information on individuals in the system for a longer period of time. For asylum applicants, the storage period remains 10 years. This will help facilitate the identification of individuals and give authorities more information allowing for speedier asylum procedures and better detection of ‘secondary movements’, where asylum applicants abscond to an EU Member State other than the one in which they applied for asylum.
The Common Identity Repository (CIR) and the European Search Portal (ESP)
The Common Identity Repository (CIR) and the European Search Portal (ESP) are two key components of the EU’s interoperability framework, enhancing the identification of people.
The CIR is a shared biometric and biographic data repository that allows competent authorities to cross-check identities across different EU databases. This will help identify individuals using multiple identities, and support faster and more accurate decision-making in border control, asylum procedures, and law enforcement.
The ESP provides a single search interface for authorised users, enabling them to query multiple EU information systems simultaneously with just one search. This will dramatically reduce response times, improve operational efficiency, and enhance the detection of security risks—such as criminals, terrorists, or irregular migrants—before they reach the EU’s borders.
With the CIR and ESP now operational, the next key milestones include the full roll-out of the interoperability architecture, including the remaining EU information systems, the Central Repository for Reporting and Statistics and the Multiple-Identity Detector.
The Commission will continue to work closely with Member States, EU agencies (eu-LISA, Frontex, Europol, FRA), and data protection authorities to ensure a smooth and secure implementation.