Full implementation of the EES system starts today

Today the full implementation of the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) begins, following a phased rollout that started in October last year in 29 European countries.

This means that passport stamps will be replaced by digital records of entries and exits, as well as records of entry refusals for short-term travelers who are not from the EU. Biometric data, such as facial images and fingerprints, along with personal data from travel documents, will be collected and stored in the system.

The system has been introduced to modernize border control and migration procedures in the European Union, as well as to reduce crime and fraud and make it easier to identify security risks.

According to data from the European Commission, since the start of implementation more than 24,000 people have been refused entry at the border for reasons such as expired or falsified documents or inability to justify the purpose of travel. More than 600 individuals have been flagged as potential security risks for Europe.

Up to 90 days within a 180-day period

The EES applies to citizens of countries that are not members of the EU or the Schengen area, who travel to the Schengen zone or the EU for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. This includes citizens of the United Kingdom, travelers who do not require a visa for tourism or business, and individuals who own property in the EU but do not have a residence permit.

The EES does not apply to citizens of the European Union and the Schengen area, nor to persons holding long-term visas or residence permits in those countries, including non-EU nationals. It also excludes family members of EU citizens who hold residence cards, as well as local residents with permits for small border traffic.

In addition, the system does not apply to crew members of trains and aircraft on international routes, nor to members of the armed forces and their families when traveling within NATO or Partnership for Peace activities.

Ireland and Cyprus are not part of the EES system, so traditional passport controls will continue to apply in those countries.

There are also additional exemptions from the EES system, including one-day cruise trips that start and end outside the Schengen area. Citizens of Andorra, San Marino, the Vatican, and Monaco will also not be required to go through the EES system.

Airport congestion has already begun

As for delays, it is very likely that in the first months of full EES implementation there will be significant congestion at airports. Already now, according to airport and airline associations, waiting times during peak periods can reach up to two hours, and in some places even longer.

One of the main reasons is that since the end of March, all travelers from third countries must register through the EES, whereas previously border controls did not always have to apply it during peak periods. From April 10, that flexibility no longer exists.

As a result, travelers will most likely need to arrive at airports between an hour and a half and two hours earlier than usual in order to complete the additional EES procedures, although the situation is expected to stabilize over time as processes become faster.

Data stored for three years

As for passports, a biometric passport is not mandatory for the EES, and is only required if travelers wish to use self-service machines for faster registration. If travelers have a regular passport, they will have to go to a counter, where they will be photographed and provide fingerprints.

This data is stored for three years, which will make subsequent entries faster. If a traveler refuses to provide biometric data, entry will be denied. Children under the age of 12 do not provide fingerprints, but are still photographed.

Registration for the EES is not done in advance, but directly at the border upon entry into the EU. However, there is an option to speed up the process via the mobile application Travel to Europe, which allows travelers from third countries to upload a photo and passport data in advance, up to 72 hours before arrival. However, this does not replace the mandatory interview at border control. Currently, the application is available only in some countries, such as Portugal and Sweden, but its expansion to the entire EU is planned.

Drivers: EES makes work impossible

Professional drivers from the Western Balkans organized blockades at border crossings at the end of January, demanding a delay in the implementation of the EES system. The president of the Association of Transporters of Serbia, Nedjo Mandic, told Kosovo Online at the time that the implementation of this system in practice does not make work more difficult, but makes it impossible for professional drivers from the Western Balkans, and that the consequences could be catastrophic for both the economy and citizens.

Mandic pointed to long waiting times at borders and added that the introduction of the electronic system will further limit work.

“When you reach 90 days, there is no entry, and that limit is reached in three to four months, which means that for the next two months, there is no work,” he emphasized.

Speaking about a possible solution, he said that one exists.

“There are a hundred solutions, from the simplest: reintroduce a driver visa for professional drivers, long-term, for three or five years, which would allow an unlimited number of entries and exits, and then there is no problem,” he said.