Several European countries, including France, Greece, Italy, and Portugal, have postponed the full implementation of the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES), as they seek additional time to establish biometric checks at key border crossings. The EES, requiring non-EU travelers entering the Schengen area to have their fingerprints and facial images recorded, was officially launched in October of last year but has encountered numerous delays due to technical and operational difficulties.
Alongside the aforementioned countries, Germany, Malta, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium have also requested more time to address these challenges. Spain, however, has successfully moved forward with full implementation after overcoming initial obstacles. EU sources report that the system has already logged approximately 200 million registrations and prevented around 70,000 unauthorized entries into the Schengen zone, including those lacking proper visas or having overstayed their permitted duration.
Implementation of the EES remains inconsistent across the European nations seeking delays. While some locations, like the Eurostar terminals in Brussels and Antwerp port, have begun biometric checks, other airports are still in the process of preparing the necessary infrastructure. Major international airports, such as Frankfurt and Schiphol, are already conducting these checks, though smaller airports continue to face capacity issues.
The International Air Transport Association has expressed concerns over potential travel delays caused by the system, with airlines warning of possible long queues during peak travel periods. In an effort to streamline the process, a pre-travel application called Travel to Europe is being introduced, allowing travelers to submit passport details and facial images prior to arrival. The application is currently operational in Sweden and Portugal and is anticipated to expand to other countries in the future.