The European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) faces mounting pressure from aviation and airport industry groups, who warn that the digital Entry/Exit System (EES) risks travel mayhem and misery for millions this summer. The system gathers digital personal records of visitors from third countries and replaces the manual stamping of passports, but industry leaders argue that the situation has “reached a critical point” and threatens to create severe bottlenecks.
What is the EU Entry/Exit System?
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an IT scheme that gathers digital personal records of visitors from third countries and replaces the manual stamping of passports for those crossing into the 29 countries of the Schengen area. The system requires passengers to register fingerprints and facial images the first time they cross an external Schengen border. The data is recorded in a Europe-wide database that tracks each time travellers enter and exit the Schengen area to avoid people staying beyond the limits of the 90/180-day rule.
The primary goal of the EES is to replace the traditional manual stamping of passports, providing border authorities with more accurate data to monitor the "90/180-day rule," which limits the duration of stay for visitors without a visa.
Why are airlines and airports concerned?
Industry associations, including Airports Council International (ACI) Europe, Airlines for Europe (A4E), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), have formally requested that the European Commission intervene to prevent operational gridlock. In an open letter addressed to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, these groups highlighted that “waiting times at border control have increased significantly, now reaching up to five hours during peak traffic periods”.
The industry groups point to several critical risks:
- Infrastructure Stress: Increased processing times threaten to put border authorities, airports and airlines “under unsustainable pressure”.
- Operational Disruption: Airlines report that delays are leading to flight delays, missed connections, half-empty planes at gate closing time and increasing pressure on frontline staff.
- Reputational Impact: Industry leaders argue that the situation is “undermining Europe’s reputation, European tourism and connectivity”.
How are stakeholders proposing to mitigate delays?
To avoid the anticipated "travel mayhem," industry associations are calling for a more flexible approach to the EES. Their proposed solutions include:
- Flexible Implementation: Allowing member states to temporarily pause the EES “whenever needed and justified” and revert to standard border code checks, including the stamping of passports.
- Increased Staffing: Calling for adequate staffing levels at airport border crossing points.
- Digital Pre-registration: The EU-wide deployment of an app that would allow passengers to pre-register, reducing pressure at the border.
While Schengen countries can already temporarily suspend the collection of biometric data, industry groups argue this has “not prevented excessive queues”. They are advocating for a "permanent operational flexibility mechanism" that would allow border control authorities to suspend the EES “until the structural challenges repeatedly highlighted by industry have been fully addressed”.
What should travelers expect this summer?
As of now, the EES remains in operation. While the industry has called for an “immediate intervention before the situation deteriorates further during the peak summer travel season,” existing challenges are expected to intensify in July and August, as airports are expected to handle some 40 million more passengers than in the past two months.
Travelers planning to visit the Schengen Area are advised to monitor official updates, as the situation remains critical.