Good news for travellers: EU delays new border control system EES!

The European Commission confirmed that the full rollout of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) has been postponed untill end of summer to avoid travel chaos during the summer holiday season. The biometric border control system, originally scheduled for complete implementation in April 2026, has been plagued by severe teething problems at airports and ports across the bloc.

What is the EES, and how does it work?

The new border control system began its phased introduction in October 2025 at EU airports and ports. The biometric technology requires visa-exempt third-country travellers—including British, American, and other non-EU nationals—to register their fingerprints and facial images at designated kiosks when entering the Schengen Area.

The system aims to enhance border security and maintain more accurate records of entries and exits. However, the practical implementation has proved far more challenging than anticipated.

Dramatic delays plague major airports

The biometric system’s gradual rollout has already experienced significant “teething problems,” causing substantial delays for air, ferry, and Eurotunnel passengers.

According to a report published late last year by Airport Council International (ACI) Europe:

• Border control processing times have increased by up to 70 per cent
• Waiting times during peak periods can reach three hours
• In some cases, passengers have missed their flights due to lengthy queues

The most severe incident occurred in Lisbon, where the Portuguese capital’s airport was forced to suspend the EES for three months after waiting times reportedly reached seven hours due to “serious deficiencies” at border control.

Phased rollout creates further complications

Initially, EU countries were required to register only 10 per cent of arriving third-country passengers. From 9 January, this proportion increased to 35 per cent, with the system launching at dozens of additional airports and ports.

The new border controls are already causing headaches for travellers, with many reporting long queues as they undergo the data collection process for the first time.

Why the full rollout has been delayed

“Deploying a system of this scale is a complex task,” said Markus Lammert, European Commission spokesperson, at a press briefing on 30 January.

“By extending flexibility into the summer period, we are giving member states the tools to manage potential issues and, most importantly, to avoid summer travel chaos.”

The decision provides greater leeway for member states to manage the transition to biometric data collection according to the capacity of individual transport hubs.

Who is affected by the EES?

Third-country nationals entering for short stays (90 days within any 180-day period) must register with the EES. This includes travellers from:

• United Kingdom
• United States
• Canada
• Australia
• China
• Russia
• Ukraine
• Serbia
• And other non-EU/EEA countries

Exempt from the EES:

• EU member state citizens (including Hungarians, Germans, French, etc.)
• Citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland
• Citizens of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican passport holders
• Residence permit holders

For those exempt from registration, border crossing procedures remain unchanged—EU citizens can continue to travel freely using their passports or national identity cards without any biometric registration requirements.

However, even exempt travellers may experience indirect effects: if an airport faces severe congestion due to third-country passenger registration, it can slow the entire passenger flow, affecting EU nationals as well.

What does this mean for travellers?

For travellers, the September postponement means that in the coming months, there may still be instances of manual passport stamping at borders rather than biometric processing.

However, the experience will vary considerably depending on which airport or port you’re using, as different locations are at different stages of implementation.

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Industry criticism and warnings

According to Euronews, ACI Europe has criticised the “significant inconvenience and burden placed on travellers.”

In December, Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI Europe, warned that the expanding rollout would “inevitably cause far more severe congestion and systemic disruptions for airports and airlines,” potentially leading to “serious security risks.”

Calls for emergency measures

In January, travel industry association ABTA urged EU border authorities to make greater use of emergency measures to ease the rollout.

“We are asking border authorities to do everything possible to minimise delays. Emergency measures are available to them, such as temporarily shutting down the system or limiting checks, and we would like to see these deployed to manage passenger flow,” said Mark Tanzer, ABTA’s Chief Executive.

“Where problems have occurred so far, some could have been avoided if emergency measures had been applied.”

What to expect until September

The deadline for full EES implementation at EU and Schengen borders has now been pushed back to September 2026.

Until then, third-country travellers should prepare for:

• The biometric system continuing to operate at some airports
• Traditional passport stamping still in use elsewhere
• Variable waiting times
• The need to arrive earlier at airports than usual

Whether the months remaining until summer will be sufficient to fine-tune the system—or whether September will bring similar problems—remains to be seen.

The success or failure of the EES will have significant implications not only for border security but also for Europe’s attractiveness as a tourist destination. With millions of visitors from the UK, US, and other third countries expected during the summer season, getting the system right is crucial.

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