The European Union says new rules have taken effect to strengthen the Schengen Information System (SIS) in order to close “a critical security gap” among the bloc's member states.

Axar.az reports citing Euronews.

The rules, adopted earlier this year, came into force on Friday to “help border guards to better monitor who is crossing the EU's borders,” according to a statement by the European Commission.

The rules, proposed in December 2016, will strengthen Europe's most widely used security and border management database.

“The upgraded database, according to the statement, will also “support police and law enforcement in capturing dangerous criminals and terrorists; and offer greater protection for missing children and vulnerable adults, in line with the new data protection rules.”

Europe's Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos explains that the rules are helping close “a critical security gap today in the EU.”

“Member States will have an obligation to introduce terrorism alerts into the reinforced Schengen Information System,” he said. “Anyone posing a threat should not go unnoticed anymore.”

The system will also be alerted for illegal residents in the Schengen area; and will speed up the process for the return of these refugees to the required country.