Europe’s New Entry/Exit System (EES) Faces Major Growing Pains: What Travelers Need to Know
The European Union’s ambitious Entry/Exit System (EES) – designed to modernize border management adn enhance security – is running into significant operational challenges. What was intended to streamline travel for non-EU citizens is currently causing ample delays and frustration at airports across the Schengen Area. As a frequent traveler and border security analyst, I’m breaking down the issues, what they mean for you, and what’s being done to address them.
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 EU’s external borders.It aims to:
* replace manual passport stamping: Moving to a digital system promises faster processing in the long run.
* Improve security: The system is designed to identify overstayers and flag potential security risks more effectively.
* Enhance border management: better data collection allows for more informed decision-making regarding border control.
Though, the rollout hasn’t gone as planned.
The Current Situation: Long Queues and System Issues
despite a phased implementation intended to mitigate problems, major queues are now commonplace. Airports in France,germany,Greece,Iceland,Italy,Portugal,and Spain are especially affected. The Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe) reports border control processing times have increased by up to 70%, with peak wait times reaching a staggering 3 hours.
This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a serious disruption to the travel experience. Here’s a breakdown of the core issues:
* System Outages: Frequent and unpredictable outages are crippling processing speeds.
* Configuration Problems: Incorrect system configurations are causing errors and delays.
* Limited Self-Service Kiosks: Many airports lack sufficient self-service kiosks for EES registration.
* ABC Gate Availability: Automated Border Control (ABC) gates aren’t fully operational for EES processing at many locations.
* No Effective Pre-Registration App: The absence of a user-kind app for pre-registration forces travelers to complete the process at the airport.
* Staffing Shortages: Insufficient numbers of border guards are exacerbating the problem.
What Does This Mean for You?
If your a non-EU citizen planning to travel to Europe, be prepared for significantly longer wait times at border control. Here’s what you should do:
* Allow Extra Time: Add at least 3 extra hours to your airport arrival time, especially during peak periods.
* Gather documents: Have your passport, visa (if required), and any other necessary travel documents readily available.
* Be Patient: Border guards are doing thier best to manage a challenging situation.
* Check Airport Updates: Monitor your airport’s website or social media channels for real-time updates on EES processing times.
The Looming January Deadline & Potential for Further Disruption
The situation is poised to worsen. The EES implementation calendar requires increasing the registration threshold from the current 10% to 35% on January 9th. ACI Europe warns that this increase, without addressing the existing operational issues, will lead to “much more severe congestion and systemic disruption,” potentially even creating safety hazards.
Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, emphasized the urgency: “Unless all the operational issues we are raising today are fully resolved within the coming weeks… we will need swift action from the european Commission and Schengen member states to allow additional flexibility in it’s roll-out.”
What’s Being Done?
ACI Europe, along with other industry stakeholders, has sent a letter to eu-LISA (the EU agency responsible for large-scale IT systems), frontex (the European border agency), and Schengen countries outlining these concerns. The call is for immediate action to stabilize the system and address the operational shortcomings. Possible solutions include:
* Prioritizing System Stability: Focusing on fixing existing bugs and outages before increasing the registration threshold.
* Accelerating Kiosk Deployment: Rapidly deploying more self-service kiosks at airports.
* Developing a Pre-Registration App: Launching a user-friendly
