New Schengen biometric border checks may stall again as key EU nations say they’re not ready

 

The European Union is facing mounting pressure to delay the rollout of its new Entry/Exit System (EES), with key member states raising concerns about readiness just weeks before the planned November 10 launch, according to Euro News. The system, which will replace manual passport stamping for non-EU travellers, marks a major shift in how Europe monitors its external borders, but its implementation is now at risk of further postponement.

Despite EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson insisting that “everything is coming together” during a recent visit to EU-LISA, the agency in charge of the EES infrastructure, Germany, France, and the Netherlands have flagged the lack of on-site testing and readiness at border crossings. According to a report in The Guardian, the three countries have informed Brussels they are not yet ready to roll out the system.

What exactly is the EES?

First announced in 2022 and already delayed multiple times, the EES is designed to track the movements of non-EU travellers entering and exiting the Schengen Area. It will require UK and other visa-free travellers to scan their passports, faces, and fingerprints at automated kiosks. The data collected will be valid for three years and used to identify overstayers, detect fake identities, and enhance border security.

“The moment is finally there. There may have been times you believed it will never happen,” Johansson said, adding, “We will know exactly who enters the Schengen area with a foreign passport… and the EES will make it harder for criminals, terrorists or Russian spies to use fake passports.”

New system could cause delays

However, officials in the UK and across Europe fear that the system could cause significant delays at major ports, especially at busy land crossings such as Dover and the Eurotunnel. The French government, which will operate border checks at UK exit points, is working with British authorities to manage flows but has expressed concern about long queues for cars, coaches, and HGVs.

In response, UK transport minister Guy Opperman said there would be a “six-month soft launch” to reduce friction, with flexibility to ease traffic flows if bottlenecks occur.

The EES applies to all EU member states except Ireland and Cyprus, as well as Schengen-associated nations including Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It will not affect EU citizens or residents and excludes those holding long-stay visas.

Complicating the picture is the upcoming European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)—an online visa waiver for non-EU citizens, which was initially due in 2023 but is now expected sometime in 2025, about six months after EES becomes operational.

Together, the EES and ETIAS represent a comprehensive overhaul of Schengen border management. But with infrastructure delays, lack of public communication, and member state resistance, the path to implementation remains uncertain.