System failures, incomplete implementation in Italy and the Netherlands, and unresolved special rules for military personnel and billionaires are overshadowing the launch of the new EU Entry/Exit System. The second phase of implementation has now begun.
Since 12 October, EU and Schengen member states have been introducing the new Entry/Exit System (EES) at their external borders. The system is intended to electronically record and verify the length of stay of third-country nationals travelling to the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Visa-free third-country nationals have since been registered electronically, including four fingerprints and a facial image. Together with passport and travel data, this information is stored for three years.
The EES applies in the 29 Schengen states, including 25 EU countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Since November, there have been at least three major system outages, although it is not known exactly where they occurred. In one case, the EES was unavailable for as long as two days. Problems mainly affect national connections and local system components. However, as far as is known, there have been no attacks on the central system or other security-relevant incidents.
Phase 2: requirements not met everywhere
The EES is part of the EU’s so-called Smart Borders package. Its aim is to replace the previous analogue passport stamps and to automatically detect overstays. Technical responsibility lies with the EU agency eu-LISA. Due to years of delays, the system is being rolled out in stages. From 10 April 2026, the EES is scheduled to be fully operational across the Schengen area.
The second implementation phase began on 10 December. Since then, the requirement has been that at least ten per cent of all border crossing points in each EU member state must be equipped with the EES. All biometric functions must be available at these points, and all newly created individual records in the system must contain fingerprints and a facial image.
As far as is known, at least Italy and the Netherlands currently do not meet this ten per cent requirement. In these countries, either the necessary infrastructure, trained personnel or the technology for biometric capture is lacking.
“Travel to Europe App” only useable in Sweden
In principle, the EES can currently only be used where self-service terminals and downstream E-gates have been installed. This applies almost exclusively to major international airports, some seaports and a small number of international railway stations. Even there, however, operations are not guaranteed everywhere. At smaller border crossing points, particularly in road traffic, passport stamping continues to be used in most cases.
A “Travel to Europe App” developed by Frontex and the German Federal Police for all EES states is likewise still scarcely available and can currently only be used in Sweden. There, travellers can submit passport data, a facial image and an entry questionnaire (“Answer a few questions about your travel plans”) in advance. The app is available in the App Stores of Apple and Google. Other EU states may introduce it at a later stage, but are not obliged to do so.
Exemptions and special cases
In addition to technical problems, the European Commission is dealing with the issue of exemptions from the obligation to register in the EES. Third countries considered to be close partners, such as the United States, are pushing for special arrangements for certain groups of people. These include, among others, senior military personnel, for example from the NATO environment, diplomats, or members of royal families – in other words, particularly prominent individuals or very wealthy travellers.
Similar problems arise with undercover investigators who travel using real biometric characteristics but false identities. In such cases, national border personnel are often still informed in advance by police supervisors travelling ahead – an approach that is difficult to reconcile with the automated EES.
The European Commission is currently examining which categories of persons may be able to claim exemptions in future and how these could be implemented technically. Registration problems are also already known in the area of private aviation, as under the current arrangements fingerprints or facial images do not have to be provided at small airports. The Commission has now also sent a questionnaire on this issue to the EU member states.
Image: Non-operational self-service terminals for submitting biometric data at Porto International Airport, Portugal (Matthias Monroy).
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