(1)

The Seville European Council on 21 and 22 June 2002 considered the establishment of a common identification system for visa data as a top priority and called for its introduction, as soon as possible, in the light of a feasibility study and on the basis of guidelines adopted by the Council on 13 June 2002.

(2)

On 5 and 6 June 2003 the Council welcomed the feasibility study, as presented by the Commission in May 2003, confirmed the objectives for a VIS as set out in the guidelines and invited the Commission to continue its preparatory work on the development of the VIS in cooperation with Member States on the basis of a centralised architecture, taking into account the option of a common technical platform with the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II).

(3)

The European Council in Thessaloniki on 19 and 20 June 2003 deemed it necessary that, following the feasibility study, orientations should be determined as soon as possible, with regard to the planning for the development of the VIS, and the appropriate legal basis which will permit its establishment, and the engagement of the necessary financial means.

(4)

This Decision constitutes the required legal basis to allow for the inclusion in the general budget of the European Union of the necessary appropriations for the development of VIS and the execution of that part of the budget, including preparatory measures necessary for biometric features to be incorporated at a later stage in accordance with the Council conclusions of 19 February 2004.

(5)

The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission ( 1 ). The committee assisting the Commission should meet, as necessary, in two distinct formations depending on the agenda.

(6)

Since the objective of this Decision, namely the development of a common VIS, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can therefore, by reason of the scale and impact of the action, be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Decision does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve this objective.

(7)

This Decision respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

(8)

In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Protocol on the position of Denmark, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is therefore not bound by it or subject to its application. As this Decision builds upon the Schengen acquis under the provisions of Title IV of Part Three of the Treaty establishing the European Community, Denmark shall, in accordance with Article 5 of the said Protocol, decide within a period of six months after the Council has adopted this Decision whether or not it will transpose it into its national law.

(9)

As regards Iceland and Norway, this Decision constitutes a development of provisions of the Schengen acquis within the meaning of the Agreement concluded by the Council of the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway concerning the association of those two States with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis ( 2 ), which fall within the area referred to in Article 1, point B of Council Decision 1999/437/EC ( 3 ) on certain arrangements for the application of that Agreement.

(10)

An arrangement has to be made to allow representatives of Iceland and Norway to be associated with the work of committees assisting the Commission in the exercise of its implementing powers. Such an arrangement has been contemplated in the Exchange of Letters between the Community and Iceland and Norway ( 4 ), annexed to the abovementioned Agreement.

(11)

This Decision constitutes a development of provisions of the Schengen acquis in which the United Kingdom does not take part, in accordance with Council Decision 2000/365/EC of 29 May 2000 concerning the request of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen acquis ( 5 ); the United Kingdom is therefore not taking part in its adoption and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

(12)

This Decision constitutes a development of provisions of the Schengen acquis in which Ireland does not take part, in accordance with Council Decision 2002/192/EC of 28 February 2002 concerning Ireland's request to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen acquis ( 6 ); Ireland is therefore not taking part in its adoption and is not bound by it or subject to its application,