EES rollout remains ‘steady,’ ETIAS on its way: eu-LISA

The progressive roll-out of the EU’s Entry-Exit System (EES) is “advancing steadily” across the Schengen area, while operations have remained stable, according to eu-Lisa, the European agency in charge of large-scale border management IT systems.

Once the introduction of the biometric border management scheme is completed, carriers – including air, sea and coach operators – will be integrated within the EES framework. The continent is also set to prepare for the arrival of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).

The update was provided during a meeting of the EES-ETIAS Advisory Group last week, which included the European Commission, Frontex, EU member states and associated countries.

“Eu-LISA continues to provide reinforced central monitoring, operational guidance and on-site support where needed,” says the agency.

The EU kicked off the gradual rollout of EES on October 12th after several failed attempts at a simultaneous launch. While some countries have chosen to introduce the system at all border crossing points at the same time, others have chosen a gradual approach. The deadline for full rollout is April 2026. 

The border scheme requires non-EU travelers entering the 29 Schengen area countries to submit biographical and biometric data, including fingerprints and a facial image. 

Starting in April, carriers will be required to verify the validity of short-stay visas for third-country nationals in order to avoid passengers being returned at the border. In its FAQ, eu-Lisa clarifies that carriers will only collect personal, document and travel data and will not collect or verify biometric data.

Once the ETIAS is introduced by the end of 2026, carriers will also need to check the validity of the travel authorization. To support carriers, eu-LISA says it has developed tools for pre-departure verification, including the Carrier Interface, which will become available on January 9th, 2026, and the Carrier Onboarding and Support Tool (COBST).

Meanwhile, the EU is laying down the legal groundwork for a digital travel app and digital travel credentials (DTCs) that will ease travel to Europe, including registration for the EES. The app will be developed by eu-LISA. 

ETIAS on the way

As EES operations stabilize, authorities are turning their attention towards the implementation of ETIAS, which has also experienced its own share of delays.

The system will require citizens of countries that enjoy visa-free access to the Schengen Area to apply to obtain authorization before traveling. While the ETIAS application doesn’t require biometrics, travelers will still need to submit biometric passport numbers.

eu-LISA and Frontex are completing the final update of the ETIAS Data Protection Impact Assessment. At the same time, the agencies have streamlined ETIAS compliance testing for EU members into a single activity running until March 2026. This will allow a “more coherent and efficient testing process,” according to the agencies. 

“Twenty-one Member States and Agencies have already executed part of the required scenarios, and end-to-end business testing activities are expected to begin in December with support from Frontex,” says eu-LISA.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  Entry/Exit System (EES)  |  ETIAS  |  eu-LISA  |  Europe  |  Frontex