Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday (1 September), a European Commission spokesperson said the EU Entry-Exit System (EES) had "broadly worked well" over the summer while stressing "the advantages of the new system for the EU are evident".

Emergency measures introduced to ease border crossing pressures during the peak summer season are scheduled to be lifted on Sunday (6 September).

According to the European Commission, there are 1,500 border crossing points in the EU across 29 countries, while more than 180 million entries and exits have already been registered, with around 60,000 refusals of entry so far. 

"The Entry Exit System includes inbuilt flexibilities and fallback procedures to accept situational exceptional situations," the EC spokesperson continued.

"What the Entry-Exit System does is it makes it more transparent what's happening at our borders. The entry exit system is, as you know, the EU's new digital border control system. It contributes significantly to the security of the European Union."

However, Looking ahead beyond 6 September, the EC spokesperson said: "When it comes to the time after the summer, we are in close and constructive contact with those few member states where some adjustments are needed at certain border crossing points.

"Overall, we can see that there is a strong joint will to make the system work everywhere."

Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs at Abta, agreed the emergency measures – or "flexibilities" – have helped ease pressures at airports.

However, he added: “We continue to push the European Commission to allow these measures to be used beyond September, recognising that there is still some way to go until EES is fully and consistently operational across all participating countries.”