SIRENE stands for supplementary information request at the national entries.
Each country that uses SIS has set up a national SIRENE Bureau, operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, that is responsible for exchanging information and coordinating activities connected to SIS alerts. Europol has also set up a SIRENE Bureau.
Efficient SIRENE cooperation is key for SIS to function efficiently. Cooperation among countries, and between countries and Europol may be “one-to-one” or “one-to-many”, and needs to be linked to a specific SIS alert. In order to ensure the prompt, confidential and efficient follow-up of cases, communication takes placed through standardised forms via a secure network.
The tasks of the national SIRENE Bureaux include:
- providing supplementary information on alerts
- validating alerts on persons wanted for arrest
- contacting the country that issued the alert when a match has been made and the required action has been taken
- contacting the country that issued the alert when the required action cannot be taken
- supervising data quality and the compatibility of alerts
- coordinating cross-border activities related to SIS alerts
- handling requests to access personal data
The list of national SIRENE Bureaux is published in the Official Journal of the European Union.