According to Business Travel News, the European Union’s (EU) new Entry-Exit System (EES) is finally set to launch in October 2024.
EES is an automated IT system for non-EU travelers, including the U.K., for registration when crossing the EU’s external border. It will apply to both short-stay visa holders and visa-exempt travelers. EES will require fingerprints and facial scans to be taken of non-EU travelers when they first enter one of the 29 countries.
“It is important that border staff are able to implement the new entry and exit system smoothly and efficiently in order to cause minimal disruption to travelers as we move away from the current process of passport stamping,” said Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of the Advantage Travel Partnership.
However, the implementation of EES has already suffered a series of delays, which have also prolonged the introduction of the related European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) for non-EU visitors until mid-2025.
ETIAS is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals traveling to any European country and will be linked to a traveler’s passport. Visitors will be required to pay a €7 fee for electronic authorization, which will last up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
The main purpose of the ETIAS is to improve security without making international travel challenging for citizens of countries that do not currently require visas to visit. EES must be introduced before the EU can launch ETIAS.
The countries taking part in EES are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
