The European Commission has proposed a phased rollout of the Entry/Exit System (EES), a new digital border control system, over a six-month period.
The announcement was made on Thursday, December 5. The EU’s executive body highlighted that a gradual deployment of the EES would enable member states to “gradually take advantage of the many benefits and opportunities of the system, giving border authorities and the transport sector more time to adapt to new procedures.”
The proposal is now set to be reviewed by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. If approved, the Entry/Exit System regulation and its deployment timeline will come into effect.
The EES requires all non-EU citizens to queue at immigration control at airports to register their personal data, including fingerprints and facial scans, when they first visit the EU.
The system was originally scheduled to be implemented across the EU starting November 10, but its launch was postponed due to objections from several member states.
