Biometric border control: chaos feared at the start of the entry/exit system

Far-reaching changes to EU border controls: This Sunday, after years of delays, the automated entry and exit system (EES) will be launched. It is intended to replace the manual stamping of passports with a digital, biometric registration of travellers from third countries. However, industry representatives and national authorities fear long waiting times and chaos at airports and borders at the start.

Airlines in particular are urgently warning of the consequences. Montserrat Barriga, Director General of the Association of European Regional Airlines, emphasized to Politico that even a few minutes' delay at border control at the major hubs could jeopardise the connecting flights of entire networks.

According to EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner, the EES is designed as the "digital backbone of our new common European migration and asylum framework". In the future, it will automatically detect when travellers from countries outside the EU exceed the permitted length of stay.

When crossing the border, travellers will have to spend more time than before in front of a border official or at self-service kiosks at airports, seaports, and international train stations. This is to give four fingerprints and have a photo taken. This biometric data is usually stored in the system for three years and used for digital registration of entry and exit for subsequent Schengen crossings.

The system is to be used in all Schengen countries including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Only Ireland and Cyprus are excluded from the EU member states.

Fears of a processing backlog

The EES will be introduced gradually over a period of six months. During this time, the two systems – Stamp and EES – will coexist until they are fully operational on 10 April, which could further increase waiting times.

Countries with a high volume of tourists are particularly alarmed. An official from the French Ministry of the Interior anonymously expressed concerns to Politico: if, for example, passengers on a long-haul flight from China had to be channelled through the EES, the waiting time at the border would triple. Paris has reacted by hiring 230 additional border officials at its 120 Schengen entry points.

To minimize the risk of chaos, the Commission has planned to suspend the EES temporarily for the first six months in the event of excessive waiting times or technical problems. Henna Virkkunen, Commission Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, emphasizes: "With the EES, Europe is making "a digital leap forward". By working closely with EU-Lisa, the agency responsible for managing large-scale IT systems, the EU member states, and the transport sector, "we are creating a safe, efficient, and traveler-friendly system that combines cutting-edge technology with Europe's commitment to safety and innovation," says the Vice-President.

Inconsistent start and inadequate preparation

However, the launch has been highly inconsistent. Only three countries – Estonia, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic – are expected to have the EES operational at all arrival and departure points on Sunday. Other large countries are starting with delays or only at individual locations. Germany is only starting on a trial basis at Düsseldorf Airport. Munich and Frankfurt will follow later before the planned full deployment in April. Italy will start at Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa on Monday. The Netherlands will introduce EES in Rotterdam and Amsterdam Schiphol at the end of October and beginning of November. Spain is only using the system for a single flight to Madrid on Sunday.

The lobby of airport operators, "Airports Council International Europe" (ACI), has been voicing concerns for months. Director Federico Bonaudi criticizes above all the uncertainty about the system's performance, as only partial studies have been carried out to date. Other points of criticism include the persistent understaffing of border police in some member states and the fact that the communication campaign for travelers was launched too late.

Only Sweden has so far confirmed the use of a pre-notification app provided by the Commission, which is intended to speed up border controls. Despite the critical start-up phase, Bonaudi emphasizes very specifically that "all necessary legal precautions and instruments have been taken to minimize disruptions and delays on the first and subsequent days".

(nen)