From EuroNews:
“EU delays (again) new
electronic system for border checks, floats phased-in approach”
The Entry/Exit System is a
comprehensive reform to modernise checks at the EU's external borders and
promote information-sharing. The European Commission has decided to delay the
introduction of the Entry/Exit System (EES), the bloc's automated registry for
short-stay travellers that was expected to come into force on 10 November. The
announcement was made by Ylva Johansson, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, at
the end of a meeting of EU interior ministers on Thursday where the issue was
discussed. "10th of November is no longer on the table," Johansson
told reporters, noting that Germany, France and the Netherlands had declared
their unreadiness. "I hope we can start as soon as possible but there's no
new timeline so far. This also depends on the legal assessment that we will do
and we're working on it right now." Johannson spoke of "some concerns
when it comes to the resilience of the system."
As an alternative, she said, the
EU could introduce the EES in a phased-in manner "with a little step by
step going into the system, not a Big Bang of all border crossing points at the
same time." However, that approach is not foreseen under the current
regulation and "targeted amendments" to the legal text would be
required to make it happen. At any rate, she stressed, the gradual introduction
would not start on 10 November.
What is the Entry/Exit System?
The EES is a comprehensive reform that dates back to 2016 and had been
repeatedly delayed. Its main purpose is to modernise checks at the EU's
external borders and replace the traditional physical stamping of passports.
It will apply to non-EU citizens who come to the bloc for visits, holidays
or business trips and stay for a total duration of up to 90 days within a
180-day period. Once the system goes live, visitors will have to provide
their passports on arrival, alongside having a photo of their face taken and
their fingerprints scanned electronically. All entries and exits from
the passport-free Schengen Area will be recorded. The collection of
biometric data and the sharing of information in real time are meant to help
authorities crack down on those who overstay their short-term visas and commit
identity fraud.
All member states, except Cyprus
and Ireland, and four Schengen-associate countries – Iceland, Liechtenstein,
Norway and Switzerland – will take part in the scheme. Passports in Cyprus and
Ireland will continue to be stamped manually.
^ I'm glad the EU (well the
Schengen Area of the EU) is not going to start using the Entry/Exit System on
November 10th as planned since I will be going to Spain and Germany (both in
the Schengen Area) on November 19th.
I won't have to have my Picture
Taken, my Fingerprints Taken and more importantly I will get the Immigration
Stamp in my Passport (my American Passport is from 2019 and is empty of Stamps
- so is my Canadian Passport by the way, but I'm not bringing that one with
me.) ^
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