The European Union’s implementation of its new Entry/Exit System (EES) has faced significant operational challenges, according to recent analyses. While Brexit is cited as a contributing factor, experts point to poor execution as the primary source of disruption at the EU’s border. Concerns escalated after border officers in Lisbon, Porto, and Faro temporarily deactivated the EES on April 11th, shortly after it became fully operational.
Industry leaders criticized the rollout, noting that passengers experienced wait times up to three hours across the Schengen area, with some flights missed at major airports like Paris Charles de Gaulle. Previously, ACI Europe warned that the EES, even in its partial rollout, was causing “significant discomfort” to travelers. The core issue centers on the biometric enrollment process, which records fingerprints and facial images for non-EU visitors.
This process has reportedly lengthened processing times by up to 70 percent. Although a pre-registration app was developed by Frontex to mitigate congestion, its availability remains limited. The intended function of the EES was to streamline border crossings; initially, a visitor was supposed to provide biometrics once to a central database, allowing subsequent entries within three years to occur via a quick facial scan.
However, reports indicate that returning visitors often encounter the same manual queues as first-time arrivals. The Commission has maintained the rollout schedule, describing it as “smooth and well-managed.” However, the uneven application across member states—with some e-gates failing to read passports months after launch—suggests inconsistencies in the border infrastructure. The complexity of the system, combined with high volumes of British travelers, has led to calls for targeted exemptions or adjustments to the current border line procedures.
Topics: #border #line #system
