EU Commissioner
Ylva Johansson has announced that the European
Union is set to launch its long-delayed Entry-Exit System (EES) on November
10, 2024. This new biometric system, which uses fingerprints and digital photos
for identification, will fundamentally change how non-EU travelers are
processed at the bloc’s external borders, and will equally apply to visa-exempt
travelers and those with short-stay visas.
The planned implementation
of the EES has faced numerous delays in recent years. However, during a recent
visit to the eu-LISA agency, which oversees major IT infrastructure projects
for the EU, Johansson confirmed the November 10 launch date. She emphasized
that the decision followed "intense dialogues" with EU member states
and other key stakeholders.
“Different steps
are legally required before the commission could take the formal decision, but
I am proud to reveal today that 10 November is the target day,” she declared. “When
that happens, it will be goodbye to passport stamping, hello to digital checks
for all passengers from outside the EU—making travel easier and border checks
gradually faster. At every single airport, every single harbor and every single
road into Europe, we will have digital border controls—all connected, all
switched on at the very same time.”
The EES actually
represents the first step in a broader push to digitize EU border processes.
The next phase will see the introduction of the European
Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) for non-EU travelers.
Johansson said that ETIAS would follow “quickly”, with the expectation that it
will go live in the first half of 2025.
The ETIAS will
require travelers from 60 visa-exempt countries, including the United
Kingdom, to obtain an electronic travel authorization to enter any of a group
of 30 European countries. This digital authorization document will cost €7 for
travelers between the ages of 18 and 70 and will remain valid for three years.
According to BTN
Europe, Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs at the UK travel
trade association ABTA, said, “It is really important that the industry takes
the time now to understand the new EES system, and what it will mean for their
customers and their businesses.” He added, “We are working closely with the
European Commission and UK government to establish the next steps for their
communications plans and will update members as and when there is more
information.”
However, Julia Lo
Bue-Said, CEO of the Advantage Travel Partnership, worries that the
introduction of the EES, fast followed by ETIAS, could “add significant
complexities for many travelers who are not clear on what this means for them
and their travel plans to the EU”. She opined, “It is vital that the travel
industry is prepared for the introduction of new processes, and that there is a
smooth and efficient process for border staff to implement the new measures
whilst minimizing any disruption to travelers on their journeys and avoid
travel chaos.”
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