"Minister Alfano and Secretary Johnson signed a statement of intent prioritizing the prevention and combatting of serious crime and terrorism through additional information sharing, including the use of automatic systems to query biometric data through the Secure Real Time Platform," the release stated on Friday.
The Secure Real Time Platform is the Homeland Security Department's system for vetting immigration applications. In 2015, the department began processing refugee applications through the system.
Johnson and Alfano signed the statement during the G6 Meeting of Interior Ministers in Rome on October 20-21.
The meeting, also attended by France, Germany, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom, focused on European security, migration, cybersecurity and enhanced cooperation efforts, the release explained.
