The EU's long-delayed electronic border control system is now expected to become operational in October 2025, however the rollout will take place over a six-month period.
EU Home Affairs Ministers on March 5 endorsed a revised timeline for the implementation of the Entry-Exit System (EES), which had been due to launch last November, and endorsed a "progressive start of operations" that will see 29 countries in the Schengen Zone gradually introduce the system over a period of six months.
The progressive rollout will "give border authorities and the transport industry more time to adjust to the new procedures," according to a statement by the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs.
EES is a biometric system that will replace the manual stamping of passports and instead use digital photographs and fingerprints to register travelers from non-EU countries, including the U.K., when they cross the EU's external border. It will apply to both short-stay visa holders and visa-exempt travelers.
Implementation of the system has suffered a series of delays since its initially scheduled launch in 2022, largely due to technical issues. In September, governments in Germany, France and the Netherlands expressed readiness concerns regarding a lack of live testing and warned the bloc's central IT infrastructure still lacked the "necessary stability and functionality" for EES.
According to the March 5 statement, once regulation on the progressive start of EES is adopted—and EU member states declare readiness—the Commission will then "decide on the specific date" to begin the rollout.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of TMC network Advantage Travel Partnership—where 78 percent of members are based in the U.K.—said ongoing uncertainty surrounding EU entry rules is "creating confusion for travelers."
"It is crucial that authorities now commit to the latest timeline rather than continuing with recurrent delays, or alternatively, reconsider whether the ambition is beyond implementation," she said.
"There is currently limited public awareness of these changes which is why there needs to be clear guidance in place from the government and the travel industry ahead of their introduction in order to minimize any disruption and ensure a smooth transition period to the new system," she added.
EES is the first step towards the digitalization of EU borders and must be in force prior to the introduction of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) for non-EU visitors, which is now expected to go live in the last quarter of 2026.
ETIAS will require visitors from 60 visa-free countries, including the U.K., to obtain a pre-trip electronic travel authorization to enter 30 European countries (like the long-established ESTA for the U.S.). The fee for ETIAS will be €7 for those aged 18 to 70 and it will be valid for three years.
Similarly, the U.K.'s own Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme—which was recently extended to European travelers—applies to all visitors currently not requiring a visa.
Originally published by BTN Europe.