Major air travel organizations urge EU to allow EES suspensions

The Entry-Exit System could lead to serious travel disruptions during the peak tourist season, including queues lasting four hours or more, major air travel organizations warn in a new letter addressed to the European Commission. The organizations also want the European Commission to confirm that participating countries will be able to partially or totally suspend the EES until the end of October 2026.

Since its introduction in October, the biometric-based border registration scheme has caused significant delays for passengers, according to a letter submitted by ACI Europe (Airports Council International), A4E (Airlines for Europe), and IATA (International Air Transport Association).

“We need to be realistic about what will happen during the peak summer months, when traffic at Europe’s airports doubles,” the organizations’ representatives say in a statement. “The rollout of EES must be flexible to react to operational realities.”

Airports and airlines are recording “persistent excessive waiting times” of up to two hours at border control, says the letter addressed to Magnus Brunner, EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration.

Despite this, the EU has pressed on with its plan to complete the six-month rollout of the system by April 10th. In January, the EES entered the second phase of the rollout, which obliges countries to register at least 35 percent of all third-country nationals entering the Schengen zone. The travelers are required to submit to finger and facial biometrics scans.

“There is a complete disconnect between the perception of the EU institutions that EES is working well, and the reality, which is that non-EU travelers are experiencing massive delays and inconvenience,” say ACI Europe’s Olivier Jankovec, A4R’s Ourania Georgoutsakou and IATA’s Thomas Reynaert.

The organizations identify three main issues behind the delay: chronic understaffing in border control, unresolved technology issues, especially in border automation, and very limited uptake of the Frontex EES pre-registration app, named Travel to Europe.

At the beginning of the month, the Commission said that EU countries will be able to partially suspend EES operations even after its official rollout in April is completed. Suspensions will be allowed over the next 90 days to avoid long queues at border crossings, while the regime may possibly be extended another 60 days to cover the peak travel season from July to September.

However, the air travel organizations note that under current regulations, the suspension mechanisms would no longer be available beyond early July.

“Today, it remains unclear whether such suspension could still be activated with the necessary flexibility under the conditions set by the Schengen Border Control Code for the relaxation of border control checks,” the organizations say in a statement published February 11th.

Following the call from European organizations, France’s two largest airports have also urged a postponement of further EES rollouts until after the tourist season. Aéroports de Paris (ADP) group, which manages Paris Orly and Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airports, says that the airports risk congestion if the system’s rollout continues as planned.

By April 10th, the EES will complete its rollout, meaning that border crossings will be required to process 100 percent of third-country nationals. The two airports are the largest in France by passenger volume, handling 107 million people in 2025, Connexion France reports.

U.S. demands EES exceptions for diplomatic and military staff

The U.S. government wants exemptions from EES registration for its diplomatic, military and associated personnel. If the demand is not met, the country plans to force EU diplomats to appear in person at U.S. consulates before departing for the U.S., according to new documents obtained by non-profit group Statewatch.

According to a note from the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU, the U.S. gave the EU until the end of January 2026 to respond. The Cypriot Presidency suggests that EU member states respond by acknowledging that some categories of U.S. personnel are already exempt from the EES and reassuring that information on U.S. officials will be deleted once a member state receives documentation confirming their exemption.

U.S. military personnel are currently exempt from EES registration under reciprocal arrangements with NATO. However, military and associated personnel travelling in a personal capacity are not exempt from the rules, the Cypriot Presidency says.

Member states should remind the U.S. that EU diplomats are already required to submit biometric data, including facial scans, when entering the U.S., the note concludes.

Article Topics

airport biometrics  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  digital travel  |  Entry/Exit System (EES)  |  Travel to Europe