The Deputy Secretary-General of the Council was authorised by Decision 1999/870/EC1 and Decision 2007/149/EC2 to act, in the context of the integration of the Schengen acquis within the European Union, as representative of certain Member States for the purposes of concluding contracts relating to the installation and the functioning of the communication infrastructure for the Schengen environment (‘SISNET’) and to manage such contracts, pending its migration to a communication infrastructure at the charge of the European Community.

The financial obligations arising under those contracts are borne by a specific budget (hereinafter ‘the SISNET Budget’) financing the communication infrastructure referred to in those Council Decisions.

The Member States which acceded to the European Union with the 2005 Act of Accession are to be integrated into the first generation Schengen Information System (SIS 1+) on a date to be set by the Council in accordance with Article 4(2) of the 2005 Act of Accession. From that date, those Member States should participate in the budget.

Liechtenstein is to participate in the provisions of the Schengen acquis related to the Schengen Information System from a date to be set by the Council in accordance with Article 10 of the Protocol between the European Union, the European Community, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein on the accession of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Union, the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the Swiss Confederation's association with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis. From that date, Liechtenstein should participate in the budget,