EU announces phased approach for EES

The European Union has proposed a progressive introduction of its biometric traveler registration scheme, the Entry-Exit System (EES).

On Wednesday, the European Commission outlined the phased approach for the digital border scheme and submitted it to the European Parliament and the Council for adoption. Once approved, EU member states and the EU’s main IT agency EU-LISA will have six months to deploy the EES.

The new announcement signals a change in the EU’s plans which originally envisioned deploying the system simultaneously in every country. To allow for a progressive introduction of the border system, the EU will have to change the EES Regulation which requires all EU member states to start using it simultaneously and for all travellers. The new, adjusted regulation will allow countries to implement the EES gradually.

“It should however be noted that the full benefits of the EES will only be available once all Member States are applying it in full,” the Commission adds.

The EES is expected to launch in 2025, but there is currently no official launch date. The original launch of the border scheme, scheduled for November 10th, was abandoned after several European countries warned that they were not ready for its introduction. 

One of the arguments for the delay was also the lack of stability and functionality of the EES central computer system, overseen by EU-LISA. In its decision, the Commission admits that a full start of operations overnight could endanger the resilience of a complex IT system, such as the EES Central System. 

Recent media reports, however, place a major part of the blame for the delays on Atos and its consortium partners IBM and Leonardo. The company, which won the contract for building the EES, has reportedly been missing deadlines since 2020.

The new proposal will also allow EU member states to adjust to special circumstances such as technical problems or periods of peak travel. The travel industry has been advocating for a phased introduction of the border scheme to avoid potential disruptions during peak travel times such as summer.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  digital travel  |  Entry/Exit System (EES)  |  EU  |  eu-LISA  |  European Commission