Launch of Europe’s new EES border system officially delayed again

The date of November 10th for the launch of the new EU border system, the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), is “no longer on the table”, the EU s Commissioner Ylva Johansson announced on Thursday afternoon following a meeting of EU home affairs ministers in Luxembourg.

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“I hope that we can start as soon as possible, but there is no new timeline so far. This also depends on the legal assessment that we will do and that we are working on right now,” she added.
The official November 10th launch date for the EU’s new biometric checks for non-EU travellers when entering the Schengen area was announced in August, after several delays.
But another postponement of the rollout was expected after reports emerged that France, Germany and the Netherlands signalled they were not ready given that live tests had not been carried out.

The three countries are responsible for around 40 percent of the non-EU /Schengen passenger traffic affected by the EES given the airport hubs in Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt as well as France’s busy border with the UK.
READ ALSO: Who will be exempt from Europe’s new EES border checks?
The EU agency in charge of the IT infrastructure that will gather the EES data from all Schengen border posts, eu-LISA, also had concerns about the ‘resilience of the system’, the Commissioner added on Thursday.
Commissioner Johansson said the EU Home Affairs Council discussed “the possibility of a phased approach” with some border crossing points launching the scheme, but “not a big bang” rollout across the Schengen area at the same time.
In this regard, she announced a legal assessment would be carried out for “some very targeted amendments” of EU rules on the EES, and a meeting of the eu-LISA management board would be held next week.

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Sándor Pintér, Minister of the Interior for Hungary, which holds the rotating EU Council Presidency this semester, said the system “should be introduced as a trial” and accelerate gradually.
“If there are teething problems of the IT system, those problems should come to light as soon as possible, so that the whole system could be operable as soon as possible”.
Earlier in the day, Spain’s Menorca Airport, had anticipated another EES delay saying on social media X: “We can confirm the Entry Exit System (EES) is not deployed yet at our airport as it depends on EU confirmation. It could be applied in few months, depending on EU decisions”.
Hi Samanta, We can confirm the Entry Exit System (EES) is not deployed yet at our airport as it depends on EU confirmation. It could be applied in few months, depending on EU decisions. Regards.— Aeropuerto de Menorca (@MAH_Airport) October 9, 2024

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated IT system that will register non-EU nationals travelling for a short each time they enter and exit the Schengen Area. The aim is increased security and to avoid stays exceeding the 90 days in a 180-day period allowed.
Under current rules, fingerprints and photos will have to be taken in front of border officers at the first crossing into the Schengen area, causing concerns especially in the UK, where there are juxtaposed border controls with France.
A new app, currently being prepared by the European Commission, would allow pre-registration of at least some of the data, but there are no indications of when it will be available for users.
Nichola Mallon, Head of Trade and Devolved Policy at business group Logistics UK, said last week that no proper testing of the system at the Port of Dover has yet taken place.

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Commenting on a possible EES delay, Mallon said: “The UK’s supply chain is reliant on the export and import of goods when they are needed – delays could have a significant impact on the availability of goods if an app-based solution is not implemented as part of the roll out of the EES system to take some pressure away from the border along this critical trading route.
READ ALSO: How to prepare for travel under Europe’s new EES and ETIAS rules?
“The availability of this app, and assurances that the IT system underpinning EES is tried, tested and robust, have to be key elements in determining SEU Member state readiness and the final go live date to ensure the continued flow of trade.”
The introduction of the EES will be followed by the implementation of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) which will require visitors from visa-free countries to register and pay a €7 fee before travelling to the Schengen Area. No information was provided on Thursday on the timeline for the launch of the ETIAS.

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“I hope that we can start as soon as possible, but there is no new timeline so far. This also depends on the legal assessment that we will do and that we are working on right now,” she added.
The official November 10th launch date for the EU’s new biometric checks for non-EU travellers when entering the Schengen area was announced in August, after several delays.
But another postponement of the rollout was expected after reports emerged that France, Germany and the Netherlands signalled they were not ready given that live tests had not been carried out.
The three countries are responsible for around 40 percent of the non-EU /Schengen passenger traffic affected by the EES given the airport hubs in Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt as well as France’s busy border with the UK.
READ ALSO: Who will be exempt from Europe’s new EES border checks?
The EU agency in charge of the IT infrastructure that will gather the EES data from all Schengen border posts, eu-LISA, also had concerns about the ‘resilience of the system’, the Commissioner added on Thursday.
Commissioner Johansson said the EU Home Affairs Council discussed “the possibility of a phased approach” with some border crossing points launching the scheme, but “not a big bang” rollout across the Schengen area at the same time.
In this regard, she announced a legal assessment would be carried out for “some very targeted amendments” of EU rules on the EES, and a meeting of the eu-LISA management board would be held next week.
Sándor Pintér, Minister of the Interior for Hungary, which holds the rotating EU Council Presidency this semester, said the system “should be introduced as a trial” and accelerate gradually.
“If there are teething problems of the IT system, those problems should come to light as soon as possible, so that the whole system could be operable as soon as possible”.
Earlier in the day, Spain’s Menorca Airport, had anticipated another EES delay saying on social media X: “We can confirm the Entry Exit System (EES) is not deployed yet at our airport as it depends on EU confirmation. It could be applied in few months, depending on EU decisions”.

Hi Samanta, We can confirm the Entry Exit System (EES) is not deployed yet at our airport as it depends on EU confirmation. It could be applied in few months, depending on EU decisions. Regards.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated IT system that will register non-EU nationals travelling for a short each time they enter and exit the Schengen Area. The aim is increased security and to avoid stays exceeding the 90 days in a 180-day period allowed.
Under current rules, fingerprints and photos will have to be taken in front of border officers at the first crossing into the Schengen area, causing concerns especially in the UK, where there are juxtaposed border controls with France.
A new app, currently being prepared by the European Commission, would allow pre-registration of at least some of the data, but there are no indications of when it will be available for users.
Nichola Mallon, Head of Trade and Devolved Policy at business group Logistics UK, said last week that no proper testing of the system at the Port of Dover has yet taken place.
Commenting on a possible EES delay, Mallon said: “The UK’s supply chain is reliant on the export and import of goods when they are needed – delays could have a significant impact on the availability of goods if an app-based solution is not implemented as part of the roll out of the EES system to take some pressure away from the border along this critical trading route.
READ ALSO: How to prepare for travel under Europe’s new EES and ETIAS rules?
“The availability of this app, and assurances that the IT system underpinning EES is tried, tested and robust, have to be key elements in determining SEU Member state readiness and the final go live date to ensure the continued flow of trade.”
The introduction of the EES will be followed by the implementation of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) which will require visitors from visa-free countries to register and pay a €7 fee before travelling to the Schengen Area. No information was provided on Thursday on the timeline for the launch of the ETIAS.