Brussels admits failures of new EU entry system that caused long waits at borders
The European Commission has admitted that the new European Union Entry/Exit System (EES) is causing serious problems at border crossings, with travellers facing long waits and long delays during the summer season.
A European Commission spokesman said authorities in Brussels were aware of the difficulties being encountered in implementing the system and were in constant contact with member states to monitor the situation and find solutions. However, the Commission has not announced the suspension of the system.
The EES (Entry/Exit System) electronically records the entry and exit of citizens of non-EU countries, replacing traditional stamps in passports. During border checks, biometric data of travelers, including fingerprints and a facial photograph, is collected, writes politico .
However, its implementation has caused long queues at airports and border crossings. European airline and airport associations have warned that in some cases waits are up to five hours, while many passengers have missed flights due to slow procedures.
The aviation industry has asked the European Commission to allow member states to temporarily suspend the system when passenger flows exceed the capacity of border crossings. They say without additional measures and more staff, the situation could worsen during the peak tourist season in July and August.
Even the airline Ryanair has called for the full implementation of the system to be postponed until the end of the summer season, arguing that the current infrastructure at many airports is not ready for the new biometric checks. /Telegraph/