The EU says it is pulling out the stops in a bid to start its much-delayed EES biometric borders system by this coming October – but is still waiting for a declaration of readiness from three countries, including France.
The MEP in charge of the dossier has told The Connexion that she hopes France will quickly “hand over” its readiness declaration, as it, along with Germany and the Netherlands, failed to do so last year.
The three countries’ lack of readiness was the main reason along with concerns over the “resilience” of the central IT database systems for the last target launch date of November 5, 2024 being missed.
The new October date has been set in a revised rollout ‘roadmap’ for EES and the related Etias online authorisation to enter the Schengen area – but no specific date has yet been given for the launch.
EES will involve all visitors to France or other Schengen area countries having to be registered in a new database to log their comings and goings – it will concern people who are not EU, EEA or Swiss citizens and who are only coming for a short stay (not more than three months). Residency card and visa holders are not affected, but could find themselves caught up in longer queues.
At a recent discussion among EU chiefs organised by the European Parliament, the European Commission’s deputy director general for home affairs, Olivier Onedi, raised hopes they would “manage to finally get the system to start its operations” by October.
An October start was also then put forward in a ‘roadmap’ prepared by the EU’s agency for large-scale IT, EU-Lisa, responsible for organising the central IT systems. This was approved in March by the European Council, represented by member states’ home affairs ministers.
However, they agreed that the scheme will begin “progressively” over six months.
Progressive start proposed
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Etias, a permit to visit the EU’s Schengen area, costing €7 and valid for three years, will now not be in force before October 2026, i.e. six months after EES is fully in force. There will also be a minimum six to 12-month period in which people who have not obtained this will still be allowed into the area.
Preparations at national level have involved recruiting staff to help visitors, and buying equipment including ‘pre-registration’ kiosks or tablet computers for large airports, ferry ports and Eurotunnel and Eurostar stations.
The progressive start aims to ensure EES begins as soon as possible at border points where national authorities and transport operators are ready and eager to get going, while giving some others a little more time.
It also allows for teething problems with EES, which will require collection of passport data, fingerprint scans and facial images from all visitors to the Schengen area who are not EU, EEA or Swiss citizens. Visitors will also be asked short travel questions about their trip.
Visitors’ data and records of their entries and exits will be stored centrally, meaning that, in due course, passport stamping will be phased out and checks on visitors’ adherence to the EU’s 90/180 days visiting rule will be automated.
Under the progressive start it will be possible to “suspend” the system at certain border points during the first six months in case of disruption or technical difficulties.
The clock is ticking for the new timeline to be met, as EU law needs to be changed: the council has approved, with tweaks, a proposed EU ‘progressive start’ regulation put forward by the commission.
This version now forms the basis for discussions with the European Parliament and a final text must be adopted by both bodies before the regulation comes into force.
Then, if all states declare readiness, the start date can be announced.
'Security for citizens is a priority'
The council says: “The delay in applying the EES in full should be as limited as possible”. Declarations of readiness already received will be taken as given, it proposes.
The MEP in charge of the dossier at the parliament, Assita Kanko (Belgium) confirmed to The Connexion that the goal is to start this year, with autumn being the earliest possible date. She supports this goal and has submitted a report to the parliament.
“I hope to establish parliament's negotiating position in April and conclude negotiations between the council, parliament and commission before the summer,” she said.
“I am pleased this is moving forward. Of course, this comes in the context of delays among member states. The original EES proposal was adopted in 2017. Since then, the threat of organised crime and terrorism has certainly not diminished.
“We are still waiting for three member states to officially hand over their declaration of readiness. With the possibility of phased implementation, I hope the three member states will finally hand this over smoothly.
“It is not acceptable to lose more time. Security for citizens is a priority. For passengers and airlines it is also more comfortable when things work better.”
EU prosecutors are investigating allegations that employees in Russia may have been involved in buying EES software, and if so, whether their work might have been subject to scrutiny by Russian security services. Agreements with the main contractors are also set to expire in November 2025, it has been revealed.
EU-Lisa says it will do a “security audit” before EES goes live. It is also looking for a new contractor to take over and is checking if it is possible to extend contracts of the existing group during the “most critical” time.
