EES launch postponed to November, EU’s biometric border app may still not be ready

A smartphone app designed to streamline queues for the EU’s upcoming border checks will not be available in time for travel to France despite a deadline change, an airline industry executive revealed to The Connexion. The new system, set to launch this autumn, will require non-EU visitors to provide detailed personal information, including entry and exit dates and fingerprint and face biometrics to streamline and secure movement across EU borders.

To mitigate potential long queues, passengers will be asked to register their passport details and answer trip-related questions using self-service kiosks at airports, ports, and at St Pancras International Station in London, where French border checks occur on UK soil.

The app being developed by the EU is intended to allow passengers to pre-register biometrics and other personal details, in a bid to expedite the process, and help passengers bypass or reduce wait times at the biometric kiosks by having some information pre-entered into the system. According to the report, the app, which was belatedly approved by officials for development, is not yet capable of collecting a facial image.

The Swedish Border Police and Frontex (the European border security agency) are piloting the EU’s Quick Border app at Stockholm Arlanda airport in Sweden, targeting non-EU nationals arriving on SAS, Thai, and Emirates flights.

However, the transition to this system has encountered hurdles, with the start date now postponed again. The EES implementation has been repeatedly pushed back due to technical and logistical challenges, coupled with the complexities introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit.

A European Commission spokesperson explains that the exact date will be determined by the European Commission and announced on the EES official website in time for the start of operations, the Independent reports.

The Independent also reports that the EU is considering a “soft launch” approach, which would permit transport operators to temporarily forgo collecting full biometric data from all travelers if significant delays occur at border crossing points.

The original launch target was in 2021, but has now been moved from October 6 of this year to November 10, with a “last resort” back up date for November 17, 2024, if some border entry points are still not ready.

The delay has implications for UK travelers, who, post-Brexit, now fall under the category of non-EU nationals. The upcoming biometric requirements will replace the current passport stamping process, promising to reduce wait times and enhance border security. Yet, the repeated postponements have stirred concerns among travelers and industry experts about potential disruptions and the readiness of border infrastructure.

UK land, sea and airports, already grappling with post-Brexit adjustments, face additional pressure to adapt to these new biometric systems. Several European airports are reportedly unprepared for the forthcoming post-Brexit fingerprinting requirements.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  Entry/Exit System (EES)  |  EU  |  face biometrics  |  fingerprint biometrics  |  mobile app  |  UK