EU border controls were set to undergo a digital transformation in 2024 with the planned rollout of a new biometric entry-check system for non-EU citizens. Following numerous delays the Entry-Exit System (EES) had been due to launch across the bloc on November 10 under the purview of EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson.
But that plan since has been scrapped after Germany, France and the Netherlands expressed readiness concerns regarding a lack of testing at "live" border crossings.
Johansson in October stated the European Commission is now considering "a phased approach… not a big bang of all border crossing points at the same time." This is due to begin in 2025, but a detailed timeline for the rollout has yet to be announced.
EES is a biometric system which will use facial scans and fingerprints to register travelers from non-EU countries 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 in the last couple of years, largely due to technical problems.
After Johansson announced that the Nov. 10 launch was "off the table" a German government spokesperson told Reuters that the three countries, which represent 40 percent of the affected passenger traffic, were not ready because the "necessary stability and functionality of the EES central system to be provided by the EU agency EU-Lisa [which manages major IT infrastructure projects] is not yet in place."
Earlier this year, London mayor Sadiq Khan warned the EES would cause "chaos" for passengers on Eurostar services due to a lack of readiness. The U.K. government has since committed to providing £10.5 million in funding to help prevent "excessive" queues at key borders.
EES is the first step towards the digitalization of EU borders, and must be in force prior to the introduction of the related European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) for non-EU visitors, which is due to go live in mid-2025.
Similar to the ESTA in the U.S., ETIAS will require visitors from 60 visa-free countries to obtain a new electronic travel authorization to enter 30 European countries. The fee for ETIAS will be €7 for those aged 18 to 70 and it will be valid for three years.
In addition, the UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme—which already applies to nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE—will be expanded in two phases next year and, by April 2025, will apply to all visitors currently not requiring a visa.
Johansson's mandate ended on Nov. 27 when the European Parliament voted to approve a new college of commissioners. Magnus Brunner took the reins as internal affairs and migration commissioner on Dec. 1 and is expected to ensure "fully functional European digital border management."