EU Entry/Exit System launch postponed
The European Union (EU) has again delayed the rollout of its new biometric entry check system, which was due to launch on 10 November
The delay is due to statements from three EU member states saying that the border computer systems that will operate the system, known as the Entry/Exit System (EES), were not yet ready.
The three member states in question are France, Germany, and the Netherlands – who together represent 40% of all passenger traffic due to be covered by the new system.
No new timetable for the system’s rollout has been confirmed since the announcement, although EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson has stated that a phased introduction is being looked at as a possibility.
The system was originally scheduled to begin operating in 2022, but has been delayed multiple times due to a number of issues.
EES is intended to create a digital record linking a travel documents to a traveller’s biometric readings to confirm a person’s identity, removing the need to manually stamp passports at the EU’s external border. The biometric data in question would include the traveller’s fingerprints and a facial scan.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor for Voyageur Group, joining in 2021. He writes for both ITIJ and AirMed&Rescue, covering a range of topics including international travel and health insurance, medical assistance provision and air medical transportation. He also serves as Title Editor of the Assistance & Repatriation Reviews. Oliver holds an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University, as well as a BA in English with Creative Writing from Falmouth University.