Division 2.1.1 Compatibility of alerts and order of priority

United Kingdom

Only one alert per Member State may be entered into the SIS for any one person or object.

Therefore, wherever possible and necessary, second and subsequent alerts on the same person or object shall be kept available at national level, so that they can be introduced when the first alert expires or is deleted.

Several Member States may enter an alert on the same person or object if the alerts are compatible.

Alerts for arrest (Article 95) are compatible with alerts for refusal of entry (Article 96), alerts on missing persons (Article 97) and alerts for a judicial procedure (Article 98). They are not compatible with alerts for discreet surveillance or specific checks (Article 99). In case of a hit on a person for whom an alert for arrest and an alert for refusal of entry have been entered, the procedures for arrest shall have priority over those for refusal of entry.

Alerts for refusal of entry are compatible with alerts for arrest. They are not compatible with alerts on missing persons, alerts for a judicial procedure or alerts for discreet surveillance or specific checks.

Alerts on missing persons are compatible with alerts for arrest and alerts for a judicial procedure. They are not compatible with alerts for refusal of entry and alerts for discreet surveillance or specific checks.

Alerts for a judicial procedure are compatible with alerts for arrest and alerts for missing persons. They are not compatible with alerts for refusal of entry and alerts for discreet surveillance or specific checks.

Alerts for discreet surveillance or specific checks are not compatible with alerts for arrest, alerts for refusal of entry, alerts on missing persons or alerts for a judicial procedure.

Within Article 99, alerts issued for discreet surveillance are incompatible with those for specific checks.

Different categories of alerts on objects are not compatible with each other (see the table on compatibility below).

The order of priority for alerts on persons shall be as follows:

arrest with a view to surrender or extradition (Article 95),
refusal of entry or stay in the Schengen territory (Article 96),
placing under protection (Article 97),
discreet surveillance (Article 99),
specific checks (Article 99),
communicating whereabouts (Articles 97 and 98).

The order of priority for alerts on objects shall be as follows:

discreet surveillance (Article 99),
specific check (Article 99),
seizure or use as evidence (Article 100),

Departures from this order of priority may be made after consultation between the Member States, if essential national interests are at stake.

Table of compatibility of alerts on persons

Order of importance	Alert for arrest	Alert for refusal of entry	Alert on missing person (protection)	Alert for discreet surveillance	Alert for specific check	Alert on missing person (whereabouts)	Alert for judicial procedure
Alert for arrest	yes	yes	yes	no	no	yes	yes
Alert for refusal of entry	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no
Alert on missing person — protection	yes	no	yes	no	no	yes	yes
Alert for discreet surveillance	no	no	no	yes	no	no	no
Alert for specific check	no	no	no	no	yes	no	no
Alert on missing person — whereabouts	yes	no	yes	no	no	yes	yes
Alert for judicial procedure	yes	no	yes	no	no	yes	yes

Table of compatibility of alerts on objects

Order of importance	Alert for discreet surveillance	Alert for specific check	Alert for seizure or use as evidence
Alert for discreet surveillance	yes	no	no
Alert for specific check	no	yes	no
Alert for seizure or use as evidence	no	no	yes