Europe’s New Entry/Exit System (EES) Faces Major Growing Pains: What Travelers Need to Know
The European Union’s enterprising Entry/Exit System (EES) – designed to streamline border crossings and enhance security – is currently causing notable disruption for travelers. What was intended to modernize border control is,in its initial rollout,leading to lengthy queues,system outages,and a frustrating experience for many entering the Schengen Area. As a long-time observer of European travel and border policies, I’ll break down what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what you can expect.
What is the EES and Why Was It Introduced?
The EES is a new automated IT system that registers travel data of non-EU citizens each time they cross the external borders of the Schengen Area. It aims to replace the traditional, manual stamping of passports. The core goals are to:
* Improve Security: Better identify overstayers and flag potential security risks.
* Reduce Crime: Assist law enforcement in tracking individuals of interest.
* Streamline Legitimate Travel: Eventually, create a faster, more efficient border crossing process.
The Rocky Road to Implementation
The rollout hasn’t been smooth. Initial delays due to IT infrastructure issues forced a phased implementation over six months. this meant not all border crossing points went live simultaneously, and some initially collected limited data. Unfortunately, even with this staggered approach, major problems have emerged.
Current Impact: Hours-Long queues and System Failures
Airports across Europe are reporting considerable increases in border control processing times. According to airports Council International europe (ACI Europe), wait times are now up to 70% longer, peaking at 3 hours during busy periods.
specifically impacted airports are located in:
* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Iceland
* italy
* Portugal
* Spain
These delays aren’t just an inconvenience; they’re impacting the overall travel experience and raising concerns about airport operations.
What’s Going Wrong? A Breakdown of the Issues
ACI Europe has pinpointed several key operational challenges:
* System Outages: Frequent disruptions to the EES system itself.
* Configuration Problems: Incorrect settings and technical glitches.
* Kiosk Availability: Limited or unavailable self-service kiosks for registration.
* ABC Gate Issues: Automated Border Control (ABC) gates aren’t functioning correctly for EES processing at many airports.
* Lack of Pre-Registration: The absence of a user-amiable app for pre-registering your data. (This is a major oversight.)
* Staffing Shortages: Insufficient numbers of border guards to manage the increased workload.
The Looming January Deadline: A Potential Crisis
Currently, the EES is only registering around 10% of eligible travelers. The implementation calendar requires this threshold to increase to 35% on January 9th. Industry experts, including ACI Europe’s Director General Olivier Jankovec, warn that this increase will lead to:
* Severe Congestion: Even longer queues and more significant delays.
* Systemic Disruption: Widespread chaos for airports and airlines.
* Safety Hazards: Potential risks due to overcrowded terminals and stressed infrastructure.
What Does This Mean For You?
If you’re planning to travel to Europe in the coming weeks or months, here’s what you need to do:
* Allow Extra Time: Factor in significantly more time for border control – at least 3 hours, and possibly more during peak travel times.
* Check Airport Updates: Monitor your departure airport’s website and social media channels for real-time information on EES-related delays.
* Be Prepared: Have your passport and any required visas readily available.
* Consider Alternative Airports: If possible, explore flying into less-affected airports.
* Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date on the latest developments regarding the EES rollout.
What’s Being done?
ACI Europe, along with Frontex and eu-LISA (the EU agency responsible for managing large-scale IT systems), are under pressure to address these issues.
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