What's happened
The Entry-Exit System (EES) has rolled out across Europe, requiring biometrics from travellers outside the EU. While some airports report smoother operations, others face hours-long queues, missed flights, and calls for flexibility to suspend checks during peak periods. Greece is offering exemptions, while Portugal plans extra border staff this July. The European Commission has allowed suspensions until September.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- The rollout is creating a credibility gap for border authorities as travellers report long waits even with biometrics on file.
- The contrast between airlines urging pre-boarding biometrics and airports still facing congestion highlights a misalignment between policy design and operational capability.
- The push to suspend EES in exceptional circumstances signals political leverage over a technical system, potentially undermining uniform application across member states.
- Readers should consider how future border tech deployments balance efficiency with staffing realities and political constraints.
- Forecast: delays will persist through peak season unless flexible suspensions and staffing increases are consistently applied across major hubs.
How we got here
The EU introduced EES to replace passport stamping with biometric checks for non-EU travellers. Since October last year, the system is in place across Schengen borders. Reports of delays prompted warnings from airline and airport officials and discussions about suspension mechanisms and staffing.
Our analysis
BBC News: "EES roll-out has caused delays at airports"; Independent: readers criticize bureaucratic headaches; BBC interview with Stefan Schulte highlighting capacity concerns.
Go deeper
- What changes would you like to see in border processing times?
- Should there be separate queues for first-time biometrics and repeat travellers?
- Do you expect more countries to suspend EES temporarily this summer?
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Greece - Country in the Balkans
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, known also as Hellas, is a country located in Southeast Europe. Its population is approximately 10.7 million as of 2018; Athens, the nation's capital, is its largest city, followed by Thessaloniki.
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Ryanair - Airline
Ryanair DAC is an Irish budget airline founded in 1984, headquartered in Swords, Dublin, with its primary operational bases at Dublin and London Stansted airports.
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European Union
The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.
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Portugal - Country
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the westernmost sovereign state of mainland Europe, being bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the nor
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Italy - Country in Europe
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a sovereign country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands. Italy is located in south-central Europe, and is considered part of western Europe.
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Spain - Country
Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean. Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula.
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European Commission - Governing body of protected sites
The European Commission is the executive branch of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the EU treaties and managing the day-to-day business of the EU.