EU delays Entry/Exit System launch, no new timeline announced
As reported earlier, the European Union was supposed to roll out a fingerprint and facial scan for non-EU citizens at all EU borders by November 10. Now as per the latest news reports, this initiative has been pushed back as the systems are not yet ready in some countries.
The said Entry/Exit System (EES) has been designed to enhance border checks at the European Union’s external borders and improve information-sharing across member states. Now, this process has been delayed once again, which was originally slated to be introduced on November 10. This has been informed by Ylva Johansson, the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs.
As per the reports, following a meeting with EU interior ministers, Johansson informed that Germany, France, and the Netherlands were not yet prepared to meet the original deadline. She stated, November 10 is no longer on the table, while efforts are being made to introduce the system as soon as possible. She did not reveal any new timeline yet. As per the reports, the delay is also due to ongoing legal assessments regarding the system’s resilience.
Johansson further added that instead of a full-scale launch, the EES might be introduced gradually, with a phased-in approach at select border crossing points. However, this would require targeted amendments to the current regulation, as the original plan did not foresee such an option. Regardless of the changes, the system will not begin on November 10, and there is no confirmed date for its implementation at this stage.
The Entry/Exit System was proposed for the first time in 2016 to replace the traditional stamping of passports at the EU’s external borders. The system will be applicable to all non-EU citizens who are travelling to the EU for short stays, for varied reasons like tourism, business, or other purposes, lasting up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
As regarding how the system works, as soon as it’s active, visitors will be required to show their passports, undergo a facial scan, and provide fingerprints upon arrival. The system will record all entries and exits from the Schengen Area electronically, and will allow authorities to track overstays and prevent identity fraud.
The system will likely help participating countries to improve border security as biometric data and travel information will be shared in real time. All EU member states, except Cyprus and Ireland, along with the four Schengen-associated countries – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland – are part of the initiative. Cyprus and Ireland will continue using manual passport stamping.