EU countries allowed temporary suspension of EES after rollout complete in April

EU countries will be able to partially suspend Entry-Exit System (EES) operations even after the biometric border registration scheme completes its official rollout in April, the European Commission has confirmed.

Starting on April 10th, all 29 Schengen area countries must have EES operational at every border crossing to record the entry of all third-country nationals by collecting their biographical and biometric data. The Commission, however, will permit temporary suspensions of the system over the next 90 days to avoid long queues at border crossings.

This regime may possibly be extended another 60 days to cover the peak travel season from July to September, Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert said at a press briefing last Friday.

Lammert clarified on Monday that the possibility of temporary suspensions does not mean that the EES rollout will be extended beyond the six month-period that has been agreed initially.

“The progressive deployment of the EES will end on April 9th 2026,” he told The Local. “After the completion of the roll-out, Member States will still be able to partially suspend EES operations where necessary during a period of an additional 90 days with a possible 60-day extension to cover the summer peak.”

The Commission’s announcement comes after numerous reports of technical difficulties, staff shortages and long queues caused by the introduction of the EES.

The system went live in October 2025, with a plan for a phased introduction lasting six months.  However, the Christmas travel period exposed the first significant difficulties, which have continued to affect high-traffic destinations.

At the beginning of 2026, the Lisbon Airport in Portugal decided to put EES biometric checks on hold for three months after passengers faced seven-hour delays at the border. A similar move has been made in the UK, where the EES rollout was paused for car passengers at the Port of Dover.

“Rolling out such a large-scale system is a complex task,” Lammert said during the press event. “By extending the flexibility for the summer period, we give Member States the tools necessary to manage potential problems and, most importantly, avoid summer travel chaos.”

French Parafe e-gates still not available for non-EU travelers

France has also been experiencing delays at its airports, especially Charles de Gaulle in Paris. Compounding the issue are technical difficulties besieging the Parafe facial recognition-based e-gates, which still do not accept UK and U.S. passports.

According to initial plans, the Parafe system was due to be adjusted to the EES, allowing airport travelers who have registered through EES to use the Parafe e-gates. This option, however, is still not available for non-EU travelers, including those with French residency cards.

In December, a legal expert for the Union of French Airports (UAF) explained for The Connexion that the Parafe system has been experiencing technical problems and that its compatibility with the EES will be ready at the beginning of 2026. This date has now been pushed to the end of March.

“We hear that the kiosks and Parafes will be operational by the end of March, with certain developments for the Parafes still remaining to be carried out, and which could be put in place before the summer for 100 percent compatibility with EES and particular situations such as residents,” the UAF expert told the news outlet.

The Parafe (Automated Fast Track Crossing at External Borders) system has been present at French airports since 2009 and serves passengers holding biometric passports, including those from certain third countries. The e-gates are also available at Eurostar and Eurotunnel terminals. The technology is provided by Thales’ Digital Identity and Security (DIS).

Article Topics

ABC gates  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  Entry/Exit System (EES)  |  Europe  |  identity verification