The network enables Member States to transmit confidentially early warning messages relating to illegal immigration, in particular, to first indications of illegal immigration and facilitator networks, perceptible changes in routes and methods or other events and incidents which herald new developments. The network can also be a useful tool for enhancing co-operation among immigration liaison officers posted abroad by the Member States by providing for easy access to all relevant information with regard to their activities. For the time being it is not envisaged – for technical and legal reasons – to exchange personal data via the Network.

Background
The Council’s comprehensive plan to combat illegal immigration and trafficking in human beings, which was adopted on 28 February 2002, provided a clear mandate to develop a web-based secure intranet site enabling Member States to report incidents and new trends in the field of illegal migration instantly. Based on a proposal from the Commission, on 16 March 2005, the Council adopted Council Decision 2005/267/EC establishing a secure web-based Information and Coordination Network for Member States’ Migration Management Services.

The Council Decision requires the Commission to establish implementing rules on a series of practical issues. With the recently adopted decision, the Commission has therefore laid down procedural rules regarding access to ICONET, confidentiality, transmission, storage, modification, archiving and deletion of information. The Commission shall supervise the content of the network and shall delete any information that does not comply with relevant provisions of Community or national law, in particular, in the field of data protection.

On 10 October 2005, the Commission also proposed the establishment of a mutual information procedure between those in charge of migration and asylum policy in the Member States as regards national measures taken in these policy areas which could affect other Member States. Unlike the ICONET, this proposed system does not serve the purpose to exchange operational information in a secure way but to ensure a timely exchange of strategic information on national measures Member States are preparing or about to take in the areas of asylum and immigration.