Nine European countries, including France, Greece, Italy, and Portugal, have postponed the full implementation of the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) as they navigate the complexities of introducing biometric checks at busy airports and other border points. The EES, which was officially launched last October, mandates non-EU travelers entering the Schengen area to have their fingerprints and facial images recorded. However, technical and operational challenges have resulted in repeated delays, especially in high-traffic areas.
Germany, Malta, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium have similarly requested additional time to fully integrate the system. In contrast, Spain has moved forward with complete implementation after overcoming initial issues. According to EU sources, the system has already logged approximately 200 million registrations and successfully blocked around 70,000 individuals from entering the Schengen zone due to visa issues, overstays, or the use of forged documents.
Despite the staggered rollout, some progress has been made in countries seeking extra time. Biometric checks have commenced at specific locations, such as Eurostar terminals in Brussels and the port of Antwerp, while several airports continue to develop the necessary infrastructure. Major international airports like Frankfurt and Schiphol are already conducting biometric checks, though smaller airports face ongoing capacity and infrastructure hurdles.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has previously expressed concerns about potential delays caused by the system, with airlines warning that extended queues could pose significant challenges during peak travel periods. To alleviate some of these issues, a pre-travel application, Travel to Europe, is being introduced. This application, operational in Sweden and Portugal, allows travelers to submit passport details and facial images before arriving at border checkpoints and is expected to expand to other countries.