Is a date set for start of EES border controls this autumn?

EU officials are counting on a launch of their new digital borders system – EES – this autumn, with the precise date keenly awaited.

It is widely believed that the quick adoption of new EU legislation allowing for a ‘phased’ start – and the lodging of ‘readiness’ statements by the last countries including France – means that all remaining obstacles are now resolved.

EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner stated in June: “I am very glad to announce we received the last readiness declarations allowing us to fix a date for start of operations in October.”

This follows several previous postponements, most recently from a planned start date on November 10, 2024, after which officials went ‘back to the drawing board’.

They devised a phased start plan aimed at easing countries’ and travel operators’ fears of large queues if the system was to start at all borders, for all passengers, from day one (see below for more on this).

The new EU regulation on this was formally adopted by the European Parliament on Tuesday (July 8) and the European Council is expected to adopt it next week.

It will come into force 20 days after publication in the EU’s official journal, at which point the European Commission is expected to confirm the date of the ‘phased start’.

EES will involve collection of passenger data from all non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals visiting the EU’s Schengen area (so, not settled residents). It will include passport data, answers to short travel questions, a facial image and a scan of the fingerprints of the right hand. 

Are there any indications of a precise launch date?

It is expected to be in October, as confirmed on this official website.

This was previously said to be the earliest practical date, bearing in mind the need to pass the new regulation this summer. 

This will also avoid a start in the busy summer season, or during the end of year holidays, and should see the system reach ‘full speed’ by April 2026, ahead of the high holiday season in 2026.

Inside sources have told The Connexion that Sunday October 12 is the expected target date. 

It is, however, not expected that a mobile phone app, to help save time by passengers pre-registering some information before arrival, will be ready by then. France is yet to confirm if it will allow its use at its borders, which include in the UK at St Pancras (Eurostar), Dover and Folkestone (Eurotunnel). 

Six months after EES is in full operation, the linked Etias system of online pre-approval to visit the Schengen area is expected to launch, so October 2026.

How the phased launch is expected to work

• EES checks will be done at any borders where non-EU/EEA/Swiss visitors cross external Schengen borders, ie. they are entering or leaving the area (such as when a person arrives in France from the US or leaves to go to the UK). This will include at airports, ferry ports and Eurostar and Eurotunnel terminals. 

• States can opt to start EES everywhere, for all passengers, from the start if they wish and consider they are ready for this. 

• If states wish, they can start operating EES earlier at certain border crossing points and later at others,and/or gradually increase the number of passengers entered into EES at border points.

• After one month: At least 10% of relevant crossings should be entered into EES.

• First 60 days: States may run EES without facial image/fingerprint collection.

• After three months: EES should be fully in place at more than a third of border

• points.

• Manual passport stamping will continue during the phasing-in period and end afterwards as EES will track entries and exits and respect of the 90/180 days rule.

• EES can be temporarily suspended at certain points if needed, eg. due to queues.

How are people with French residency cards and visas affected and which passport lanes should they use?

Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who live in France with long-stay visas and residency cards are not officially affected by the scheme. 

However, non-EU nationals are not allowed to join ‘EU’ passport lanes, meaning they could get caught up in longer queues with non-EU national visitors. 

It is, however, hoped that in large airports, ports and Eurostar/Eurotunnel terminals where e-gates are in place, that nationals of many non-EU countries will continue to be able to use these for quick entry/exit.

For visitors affected by EES, this will only be possible on subsequent visits after initial registration in the EES database on their first entry/exit after the scheme comes into force. 

For residents, this should help avoid queuing at border guards’ desks (as now) however, The Connexion was told the French government is still working out legal and technical solutions to enable the gates to ‘recognise’ that a certain foreign passport holder is an EES-exempt resident.