Travelers entering the European Union may once again face long waits at the border after the deadline expired for the flexible measures introduced for the implementation of the new Entry/Exit System, EES. According to reports cited by The Guardian, some member states may gradually reintroduce biometric checks, heightening fears of delays at crossing points.
Easing ends, uncertainty grows at the border
The deadline for the easing measures ended on September 6. Airlines have asked the European Commission to extend this period until the end of the year, signaling that the sector still does not consider a full transition to the new regime to be sustainable.
Aviation industry links avoidance of chaos to suspension of the rules
The summer season, although busy, did not produce the most problematic scenarios that had been warned of at many European airports. In some cases, passengers missed flights, but according to the aviation industry, the worst situation was avoided thanks to the easing of rules on the collection of biometric data from citizens of countries outside the EU, including the taking of fingerprints.
Call for extension, but implementation remains uneven
Luke Petherbridge, director of public affairs at Abta, a trade organization for the travel industry in the United Kingdom, said the European Commission is being asked to continue the suspension of these checks beyond September.
According to this position, EES is still not ready to operate fully in all participating countries, raising questions about the system’s real readiness and how the transition to it is being managed.
Key crossing points still have equipment that is not fully functional
The problems appear particularly visible at several main crossing points between the United Kingdom and France. At the Eurotunnel, the Port of Dover and the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras, equipment for biometric registration is still not fully functional.
This means that the return of checks, even in gradual form, could quickly translate into slower movement and new queues, especially at overloaded travel hubs.
For travelers, the development means more uncertainty than operational security. While European institutions have not yet provided a clear solution beyond the expired deadline, the risk of border delays remains open.
The debate is now no longer only about EES technology, but about the ability of authorities to make it work without turning entry into the EU into another bottleneck for passengers.