Why the EU’s biometric border won’t come before spring 2025
Border bugs
Travellers don’t have to worry about extraordinarily long queues when entering the EU for a little while. The bloc’s revamped electronic border system probably won’t come into force before next spring, writes Laura Dubois.
Context: The EU has delayed the introduction of its new “Entry Exit System” after Germany, France and the Netherlands said that the necessary computer systems were not ready, and industry representatives warned of queues and delays.
The European Commission is now working on legislation to phase in the new system, which will require foreign travellers to register their fingerprints, facial images and other personal details upon arriving. It will also allow border police to immediately see whether and for how long people are allowed to stay in the bloc.
EU officials yesterday discussed different possibilities to introduce the system only in parts for now, according to several people briefed on the talks.
Options include implementing the new controls only at certain border crossings, for instance starting with small airports, or checking only certain groups of travellers, three of the people said. A third option could be feeding only certain data into the system, they added.
“The member states will have a certain amount of leeway in how to implement the different aspects [of the system],” said an EU diplomat. Another diplomat said that those member states that were ready could already implement the checks fully.
The commission was aiming to present something in the coming weeks, for the transition period to start in spring 2025, said two of the people.
But when the system — which resembles border checks in the US that have been in place for years — will be fully operational at all border crossings remains unclear. One option that has been considered is a transition period of six months, according to the diplomats and officials.