EU stands by Entry/Exit System despite travel disruption

The European Union has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the Entry/Exit System (EES) for biometric border controls, rejecting calls from the aviation sector to suspend the scheme despite travel disruption at airports and border crossings since its introduction.

The system, which entered into force this year, requires travellers from outside the European Union to register their fingerprints and facial images when entering the Schengen Area. Its rollout has resulted in long queues and flight delays due to technical issues and implementation challenges.

A European official in Brussels said today that suspending the system entirely would be “neither practical nor necessary”, explaining that its operation depends on the continuous tracking of entry and exit movements, making a full suspension incompatible with the system’s integrity.

The official added that the current rules allow member states to suspend biometric registration temporarily for periods of up to six hours, renewable as needed. He said this flexibility is sufficient and is already being used to ease pressure, particularly during the summer travel season.

Meanwhile, European airlines and airport operators warned that disruption is likely to continue, calling for the system to be suspended until next September, arguing that the existing measures have failed to prevent congestion or maintain smooth operations.

The European Union defended the system, noting that it has recorded around 110 million border crossings involving 52 million travellers and has helped prevent the illegal entry of approximately 44,000 people. It added that efforts are continuing to improve the system’s performance in cooperation with the sector.

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