by Donald Wood
Last updated: 1:40 PM ET, Sun September 13, 2026
France, Germany, Italy, and six other Schengen countries have reportedly
been allowed to delay full enforcement of the European Union’s Entry/Exit
System (EES), potentially easing concerns about longer border waits for travelers.
According to The Connexion, the nations—France, Belgium, the
Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Italy, and Switzerland—may limit
biometric checks to “maintain border fluidity.”
No new deadline for full enforcement was announced.
The changes follow temporary flexibility that allowed border points to suspend
fingerprint and facial-image collection during periods of heavy congestion,
which officially ended on September 6.
French ferry operators have warned that existing EES
technology cannot yet process passengers quickly enough, while French airports
are voicing concerns about potential disruption during the busy autumn and
Christmas travel periods.
Problems have been reported involving EES kiosks and their connections to automated passport
gates. Travelers have voiced concerns about biometric procedures varying based
on where they enter popular European countries, even though EES remains
officially in operation.
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