New Schengen entry check system to come into force today

The new European Entry-Exit System (EES) for EU countries came into force on Sunday, after almost a decade of development and several delays.

The new system replaces passport stamps with fingerprints and facial biometrics, thanks to readers installed at airports, seaports and train stations across Europe, writes the European News Editorial.

The aim is to register all entries and exits of non-EU citizens staying in the EU for a short period (90 days within any 180 days). This will allow authorities to detect overstays and automatically refuse entry.

“This will confirm to border police that the person with the passport is who they say they are and that the document is not fake,” said Assita Kanko, a Conservative and Reformist MEP in the European Parliament and rapporteur for the EES.

What is happening from Sunday?

Citizens from non-EU countries will have to provide their passport, fingerprints and photograph at border crossings when entering the Union, with the exception of Cyprus and Ireland, which are not members of the Schengen area.

This information will also be required in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and in most cases will be kept for three years.

The passport, fingerprints and photograph will only be provided upon first entry after the introduction of the EES, and on future trips, border police will only confirm the fingerprints and photograph, which the EU claims will shorten the process.

The new system is being introduced in several stages over six months, until 10 April 2026.

The largest European countries, such as France and Germany, will initially only conduct a few checks under the system to avoid major congestion at airports. Smaller ones, such as Estonia and Luxembourg, will immediately implement the EES in full.

Croatia is among those taking a mixed approach. It will collect biometric data four hours a day from October 12 until the end of November, eight hours a day in November, and 12 hours a day from December.

Slovenian police said they would gradually introduce the EES at its external Schengen border crossings, namely those for international air traffic in Ljubljana, Maribor and Portorož, and at the two ports of Koper and Piran.

Europeans whose countries are not EU members will need to prepare for their journey. The Ministry of Interior of North Macedonia has urged its citizens planning to travel to the Schengen area to familiarise themselves with the new rules and procedures to ensure timely, safe travel without unnecessary delays.

The ministry stressed that the collected data will be processed and stored in accordance with the strictest standards of the European Union and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This ensures full privacy protection and transparent use of the collected data.

More congestion?

There are concerns that the new system could lead to longer wait times at airports and train stations next week.

“As always when new IT systems are introduced, some problems may arise. However, the system is being introduced in a season when there is less international travel. Furthermore, the gradual introduction was agreed precisely to avoid major problems,” Kanko stressed.

“Authorities and passengers at border crossings will be able to adapt to the system step by step. And in the event of unforeseen problems or excessive waiting, local border police can temporarily suspend the use of the system,” she added.

The French Interior Ministry expects a normal situation on Sunday without crowds. However, it added that full implementation of the system remains a major challenge for France, the world's leading tourist destination with 100 million visitors last year.

British passengers will be hardest hit because they are heavily tied to the EU, but UK transport operators are confident that things will run smoothly.

“Everything is ready, prepared and tested on hundreds of customers,” said Yann Leriche, chief executive of Getlink, the operator of the Eurotunnel that connects Britain and France, in September. His company said it had invested 80 million euros to adapt to the new system.

What are the benefits for Europeans?

The new rules come into force almost a decade after the European Commission proposed the EES, which believes it will help prevent illegal migration and ensure the security of everyone living or travelling in Europe.

The French Interior Ministry believes the system will also help prevent abuse of the visa system, for example if a person entered on a tourist visa that was later converted into a private or family visa. The ministry stresses that it will also be known whether a person who has been refused asylum has left the Schengen area.

“This will ensure that people entering the Schengen area have the correct identity documents,” stressed Kanko, a Belgian conservative politician born in Burkina Faso.

“All people of good will who travel to the EU can continue to come without worry,” she stressed.

The full implementation of the EES is a condition for the start of the introduction of another rule for third-country nationals entering the EU, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).

This is an electronic authorization for entry into the Schengen area, similar to the US ESTA system, which is due to be introduced next year.

Before arriving, third-country nationals will have to fill out an online form, pay 20 euros and wait for approval. Those who do not do this will not be able to board the flight and will not be allowed to enter the European area of free movement.

Source: HRT