What is the new EU border system EES, and how will it work? | European Union

Many travellers to Europe will see adjustments in border safety from Sunday with the launch of the EU’s new digital entry and exit system (EES) after many delays.The system means most non-EU residents must register their biometric info on the border. Travellers’ faces must be photographed and fingerprints scanned earlier than they’re allowed into Europe’s Schengen space. The system will ultimately change passports being stamped by border officers.What’s EES?It isn’t a alternative for passport management. Travellers will nonetheless must undergo checks with border officers at ports. However ultimately they won’t have their passport stamped – as a substitute, nations within the Schengen space will log travellers’ faces, fingerprints, and entry and exit dates.The system is being launched to make border crossing quicker and extra environment friendly, whereas additionally monitoring who’s coming out and in. The EU says it would additionally give it info that can be used for safety functions.That is the beginning of a phased introduction of the system. It’s scheduled to be absolutely in place by 10 April 2026.The place does it apply and to whom?The EES applies to the Schengen space, which contains 25 of the 27 EU member states in addition to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.It contains nations the place British folks journey to incessantly for holidays similar to Spain, France, Portugal, Greece and Italy.The Republic of Eire and Cyprus should not a part of the Schengen space and so will proceed to course of passports as earlier than.The EES applies to people who find themselves not from an EU nation or from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland – though there are some exceptions similar to individuals who have long-stay visas, amongst others.How does it work?When somebody arrives on the border for the primary time after the EES is in place, they may use a self-service display to register their title, passport particulars, fingerprints, and the date and place of entry and exit. The machine will {photograph} their face. Kids underneath 12 is not going to have their fingerprints scanned.When folks first come into contact with the EES depends upon the place they’re travelling to and when.Coach and foot passengers going via the port of Dover will undergo a brand new facility for EES processing from Sunday. From November, this may apply to all visitors. Coach passengers going via the Eurotunnel can even undergo the checks from Sunday.The method can be rolled out regularly over the approaching months on Eurostar, which has put in registration terminals at its departure areas at St Pancras Worldwide in London.For different journeys the method will occur when travellers get to the vacation spot nation.Airports are implementing the adjustments at completely different instances. For instance, Germany will section within the service beginning with a small airport in Stuttgart after which construct as much as operations in Frankfurt, one of many busiest aviation hubs in Europe.Will I’ve to get to Dover earlier?There have been issues that the additional time it takes to course of the EES knowledge will result in delays. Nevertheless, the port of Dover has requested coach drivers to not arrive on the port any greater than two hours earlier than journey.Eurostar has mentioned that the time it would take for the method could be squeezed into the present 75-minute window passengers are requested to spend on the station earlier than departure.And the chief govt of Eurotunnel, Yann Leriche, has mentioned the corporate is absolutely ready and doesn’t count on prolonged queues.Border officers have been informed they’ve discretion to droop EES if queues are constructing.What is going to occur to the info that’s collected?The information supplied digitally via the EES will stored for 3 years, with some exceptions, after which it’s erased.It may be utilized by border, visa and immigration authorities within the nations utilizing the system in addition to native police and Europol, the EU company for regulation enforcement.The EU says that the knowledge could also be transferred to a different nation, exterior Schengen, or a world organisation, similar to a UN physique, underneath “strict circumstances”.If travellers cross the border once more, inside the three-year interval, the method ought to be faster because the face image and fingerprints will already be on file.If an individual refuses to supply an image or have their fingerprints taken then they are going to be refused entry, the EU says.