The launch date of the new border system of the European Union – the Entry/Exit System (EES) – has been postponed once again.
EES, which will replace manual passport stamping, was set to launch on October 6 of this year.
However, due to unknown reasons, its launch has been postponed for another month, until November 10, 2024, Schengen.News reports.
The news on the postponement of the new border system was shared by the Independent, which explained that the launch of EES might be postponed by another week to November 17 as a last resort.
While the EU authorities have not made any official announcement on the matter yet, it is believed that the EES launch date has been pushed back once again in order to give more time for the member states to prepare for the implementation of the new system and switch from manual to digital checks.
The original launch due date of the EES was in 2021. However, the system has been continuously pushed back due to several problems encountered along the way.
How Will EES Affect Travellers to the Schengen Area?
Once the EES becomes effective, all non-EU citizens entering the Schengen Area for short stays, regardless of whether they need a visa or not, will have to register into the system.
Since the system aims to replace passport stamping, foreigners entering the bloc after EES is launched will have to provide their fingerprints, share their passport details, and take a picture in devices that will be put in all entry points.
All the data will be stored in a database for three years, meaning that foreigners will not have to undergo the same process each time they enter and leave the Schengen Area. Instead, once the foreigners are registered, the system will automatically register their movement to and out of the Schengen Area, and there will no longer be a need for a passport stamp.
It is expected that there will be delays at the EU’s borders initially, as the registration process will take time.
However, once the majority of non-EU citizens are registered, the entry and exit from the Schengen Area will go more smoothly.
EU’s Airports Said They Are Not Ready to Implement EES
Several airports across the EU have said that they are not ready to implement the EES on October 6. This might be one of the reasons why the EU has decided to postpone its launch date.
Generally, smaller airports have reported problems related to the set-up of divides used for the registration of non-EU travellers.
