The Independent on Wednesday (17 July) reported the EU Entry-Exit System (EES) will launch on 10 November, with the possibility of it being postponed until 17 November if member states are not ready by that deadline.
The system was initially set to be launched in early October, but the aviation sector and wider travel industry has questioned the readiness of European airports, warning of potential delays and disruption later this year.
According to national media reports, the system will now have a “relief valve” meaning passengers at busy hubs will be exempted from having their biometric information – fingertips and photo – taken, in the hope of minimising queues.
“The roadmap for the delivery of the new IT architecture foresees that the entry-exit system will be ready to enter into operation in autumn 2024 and that Etias will be ready to enter into operation in spring,” an EU Commission spokesperson told TTG.
“The exact date will be determined by the European Commission and announced on the EES official website well in time for the start of operations. At the moment we don’t have a date to communicate.”
EES will take the form of an automated IT system, which will register travellers from the UK and other non-EU countries using biometric checks when they cross external EU borders.
The new rules will replace passport stamping by registering a person’s details such as their name, travel document and biometric information.
It also will be used alongside Etias – a €7 (£6) Esta-style visa waiver scheme – which, once implemented in mid-2025, will allow people from 60 visa-exempt nations such as the UK to stay in the EU for up to 90 days in any given six-month period.
