The European Commission, which had previously proposed an overnight switch-on, will now introduce its new Entry-Exit System (EES) progressively.
This will give member states and non-EU nations, like the UK, six months to adjust to the new procedures. No formal new date has been set for implementation. A new date will need to be given the green light by the European Parliament and the European Council before it can be adopted.
After years of delays, the European Commission in July announced the new biometric system, which will replace passport stamping for all non-EU countries, would be rolled out in mid-November.
However, less than two months later, the commission was forced into a U-turn after France, Germany and the Netherlands said they wouldn’t be ready for the deadline, citing concerns over a lack of live testing of the new IT systems.
The decision to postpone was well received in the UK; earlier this year, immigration minister Seema Malhotra told MPs the UK would not be ready for the EES implementation until summer 2025, blaming the previous Conservative-led administration for a lack of preparedness.
According to Malhotra, adopting a more phased approach with some leniency at crunch times, such as exempting passengers from having their fingerprints and photos taken, would smooth the transition.
“We believe extending these beyond six months would improve throughput at the EU’s external border if queues form during peak periods in early 2025 due to the additional processing time required for EES,” she said.
The EU’s decision to postpone the rollout in November was also hailed by the UK travel industry, with Abta saying the sector had been left “in a limbo” waiting for a start date.
“We do still need urgent confirmation and clarification on the next steps of EES; it’s difficult to talk to a customer about a new system without knowing if it will actually be in place for their trip,” said director of public affairs Luke Petherbridge in October.
Once in place, EES will take the form of an automated IT system, with travellers coming from non-Schengen countries will have to submit to biometric checks, including facial images and fingerprints.
The information will be kept on file for three years and, in the UK, checks will take place at sea ports like Dover, and international rail ports, such as London St Pancras International (for Eurostar) and Folkestone (for Eurotunnel). Checks for air travellers will take place at their EU arrival airport.
EES is critical to the EU’s hopes of introducing Etias, a €7 (£6) Esta-style visa waiver, in 2025 – again, after years of delays.
