Nine European nations, including France, Greece, Italy, and Portugal, have postponed the full deployment of the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) amid ongoing preparations for biometric checks at major border crossings and airports. This system, which mandates non-EU travelers entering the Schengen Area to submit fingerprints and facial images, was initially rolled out in October last year but has encountered several setbacks due to technical and logistical challenges at busy travel hubs.
Alongside the aforementioned countries, Germany, Malta, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium have also requested additional time to implement the system. While Spain has successfully navigated past initial obstacles and fully adopted the EES, others are still adjusting. The system has already logged around 200 million registrations and has prevented approximately 70,000 individuals from entering the Schengen zone for reasons such as lacking proper visas, overstaying, or using forged documents, according to EU sources.
Implementation of the EES is currently inconsistent across the countries seeking more time. Some locations, like the Eurostar terminals in Brussels and the Antwerp port, have commenced biometric checks, whereas several airports are still setting up the required infrastructure. Major international airports such as Frankfurt and Schiphol have begun these checks, though smaller airports continue to struggle with capacity and infrastructure issues.
The introduction of the EES has sparked concerns from the International Air Transport Association about potential delays, and airlines have warned of possible long queues during peak travel seasons. In response, a pre-travel application named Travel to Europe is being introduced to streamline the process by allowing travelers to submit their passport details and facial images prior to arrival. This application is currently in use in Sweden and Portugal and is planned to extend to more countries soon.