Shorouk Express
EU member states agreed on Wednesday on a phased rollout of a new border check system for non-EU nationals which will do away with passport stamps.
The so-called Entry/Exit System (EES), was initially supposed to kick in last November but was delayed at the last minute as several states were not ready.
Under the EU agreement reached on Wednesday – subject to approval by the European Parliament – the scheme will be implemented over a six-month period.
“We are aiming for October” to begin the rollout, said Polish interior minister Tomasz Siemoniak, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.
Advertisement
A final start date will have to be confirmed by the European Commission.
The EU’s plans are in two phases and the second phase – electronic visa waivers for non-EU visitors including tourists – will not be introduced until at least six months after the start of EES, taking it into 2026.
First agreed on in 2017, the automated EES system will record visitors’ date of entry and exit and keep track of overstays and refused entries.
But its introduction has raised fears of queues and longer waiting times for people travelling to Europe on trains, ferries and planes.
London’s mayor Sadiq Khan warned last year it could trigger “chaos” at the British capital’s Eurostar cross-Channel rail hub, St Pancras station, while bosses at the Port of Dover have also raised the alarm about long queues.
Under the EES, travellers to the bloc will have details and biometric data — facial images and fingerprints — collected when entering or leaving the EU or Schengen zone. It will not apply for travel within the Schengen zone, eg a trip between France and Germany.
Member states would ramp up towards operating the EES system at half of border crossing points after three months and by six months countries should be registering all individuals using the system.
Advertisement
EES will not be required for non-EU nationals who have residency in an EU country. Find a full explanation of how it works and who will be affected HERE.
The UK this week opened up the website for its own version of EES – known as ETA – which will be required for anyone travelling to the UK on an EU, EE1 or Swiss passport (with the exception of Irish passports) from April 2nd. This is already required for non-EU citizens travelling to the UK.
