On the basis of this mandate, the presidency of the Council of the EU will be able to begin negotiations with the European Parliament once the latter has established its position, according to an EU Council press release.

"Strengthening the mandate of eu-LISA will allow us to optimize the systems we have put in place to ensure security in the EU and regulate migration," Minister of the Interior Andres Anvelt (SDE) said. "Looking to the future, the agency will also play an important role in building interoperability to improve and speed up access to these databases. These have been priorities of Estonian Presidency and I am very pleased by the progress we have made."

This regulation will further develop the agency's capacity to contribute to border management, law -enforcement cooperation and migration management in the EU. The agency will also have a vital role in implementing new IT architecture in the area of Justice and Home Affairs.

The draft regulation will entrust the agency with developing and operating new systems, such as the recently adopted entry-exit system and the European travel information and authorization system (ETIAS); contributing to the development of technical solutions to achieve interoperability, subject to an upcoming legislative proposal on interoperability; providing support to member states at their request, for example ad-hoc support to deal with migratory challenges; and a greater role in research, pilot projects and testing activities.

eu-LISA was established in 2011 and currently manages systems including the Visa Information System (VIS), the Schengen Information System (SIS) and EURODAC.

Following an evaluation of the agency, as well as recent developments in the fields of migration and security, the European Commission on June 29 presented a proposal for a new legal mandate for eu-LISA so that it can better meet current and future challenges in the area of freedom security and justice.

eu-LISA is headquartered in Tallinn, and its operational center is located in Strasbourg.