Sunday, 12 October, will see the long-expected, gradual rollout of the EU’s automated IT system, EES, for tracking non-EU nationals crossing the Union’s external borders. Twenty-seven members of the bloc, as well as Switzerland and Norway, are included in the system.
The EES, which stands for Entry-Exit System, will register travellers’ names, travel document details, biometric data including fingerprints, and the date and place of entry and exit. The system, the EU says, fully respects fundamental rights and data protection. Implementation is up to individual member states but must be completed by 10 April 2026.
Commission: system will improve border checks
Six months is arguably ample time to put the new EES in place, but some have raised concerns about potential delays it might cause for non-EU visitors at airports, train stations and external border crossings, once implemented.
The aim of the system is to allow authorities to cross-reference traveller information and to easily identify individuals who overstay their visas or allotted stays. The European Agency for the operational management of large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, security and justice (eu-LISA) is responsible for managing the rollout.
The EES will contribute to preventing irregular migration and help protect the security of those living in or travelling to Europe, the European Commission says. The system, it adds, will also make travel easier for non-EU nationals as border checks will be more streamlined.
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The EES is part of broader EU measures under the Security Union, supporting goals laid out in the European Agendas on Security and Migration, particularly in border management and in combating cross-border crime and terrorism. The current Danish presidency of the European Council has made tackling irregular migration a central policy focus.
