The European Union has postponed the introduction of the Entry/Exit System (EES) for non-EU citizens, which was due to be introduced on 10 November, after Germany, France and the Netherlands said the border computer systems were not yet ready, Euronews reports.
The announcement was made by Ylva Johansson, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, at the end of a meeting of EU interior ministers on Thursday where the issue was discussed.
Johansson noted that “there are some concerns about the sustainability of the system.” The EES is a comprehensive reform designed to modernise checks at the EU’s external borders and facilitate information sharing.
Alternatively, she said, the EU could introduce EES in a phased manner, “little by little, step by step, rather than a “Big Bang” at all border crossings at the same time.”
However, such an approach is not foreseen in the current regulation and would require “targeted amendments” to the legal text. In any case, she stressed, gradual implementation would not begin from November 10.
What is an Entry/Exit system?
EES is a comprehensive reform that started back in 2016 and has been repeatedly postponed. Its main aim is to modernise controls at the EU’s external borders and replace the traditional physical stamp in the passport.
It will apply to non-EU nationals travelling to the bloc for the purpose of a visit, holiday or business trip and staying for a total of no more than 90 days within a 180-day period.
Once the system is in place, visitors will be required to present their passports on arrival and have their face photographed and fingerprints scanned electronically. All entries and exits from the passport-free Schengen Area will be recorded.
The collection of biometric data and real-time information sharing is designed to help authorities crack down on those overstaying short-term visas and committing identity fraud.
Germany, France and the Netherlands are not ready
All EU member states except Cyprus and Ireland will take part in the scheme, as well as four Schengen-affiliated countries – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. In Cyprus and Ireland, passports will still be stamped manually. Johansson told reporters, noting that Germany, France and the Netherlands have said they are not ready:
“November 10 is out of the question. I hope we can start as soon as possible, but for now there is no new deadline. It also depends on the legal assessment we will make, and we are working on that right now.”
A spokesman for the German interior ministry said the three countries, which account for 40 per cent of affected passenger traffic, were not ready for EES implementation because “the necessary stability and functionality of the central EES system to be provided by the EU agency EU-Lisa has not yet been implemented.” EU-Lisa is the agency responsible for implementing large-scale IT systems in the EU.
The French Ministry of the Interior has stated that while France is convinced of the usefulness of EES, its implementation must be properly prepared. The Dutch government did not comment on this information.
