Long delays at Folkestone because of this. Is it affecting the ferries as well? What’s this new system they’re supposed to have introduced?
EES is an automated border registration system that travelers must go through each time they enter and exit the Schengen area (I.e. each time they cross the external EU borders).
It was supposed to start this month but it was agreed the French could delay the start until October due to the Olympics so no idea what this “new system” is.
Hm, seems they still haven’t confirmed 6th October as the start date for it.
Upcoming EU Entry-Exit System May Delay British Travelers.
I thought we had a thread about this, but I can’t find it. Did we ever work out how it would affect UK nationals with Swiss credit card residence permits which have all that info on them to start with? Though this article says we’ll be exempt.
“British passport holders who have EU residency will be exempt from EES.”
How exactly will the EU’s new Entry/Exit System work? All your questions answered | Euronews.
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EES is due to start on the 10th November 2024 now.
EES postponed indefinitely.
Just why? If you can’t use them instead of passports/ID’s what’s the point?
" The EU is planning to introduce digital passports and identity cards in an effort to speed up border control checks within the 29-country Schengen zone.
Most, but not all, EU members are part of Schengen. All members of the European Free Trade Association - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, are also part of the border-free zone.
The digital documents will not replace the paper ones and will have to be used in conjunction with them.
They will also not be mandatory and will be issued only on request when someone applies for a new passport or ID.
The digital variants will be free of charge, incurring no cost to those wishing to use them.
They will contain data currently stored in the chip of passports and ID cards - this includes photos but not fingerprints.
People will be able to download the digital documents onto their smartphones.
The European Commission plans to develop an EU Digital Travel app that will allow people to self-generate the digital documents. However, the app will only be ready by 2030.
Non-EU citizens with a biometric passport will also be able to use the EU Digital Travel application to create digital travel credentials for travelling to the Schengen area, the Commission said.
“Digital passports are a major step forward in strengthening security in the Schengen area and making travel easier,” said EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson.
“They will allow border guards to quickly approve genuine travellers and focus better on stopping suspects of crime and terrorism.”
The announcement comes as the EU was forced to delay the implementation of its new border controls for non-Schengen visitors indefinitely.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) was supposed to be finally introduced on November 10 after two years of delays and procrastination.
The scheme will require all non-EU citizens including Brits to have their fingerprints or photos taken before entering the Schengen area for the first time once the system is activated.
However, following objections from France, Germany and the Netherlands, Brussels has been forced into a major U-turn.
The three countries are responsible for 40 percent of all inward traffic into the EU and have faced IT difficulties.
After a meeting of EU interior ministers in Luxembourg on Thursday, Ms Johansson said Brussels would look into introducing the scheme gradually after “some concerns” over the “resilience of the system” had emerged."
EU makes major change to passport control and ID checks in 29 countries (msn.com)
Ports first it seems, but eventually rail and air as well.
Major change coming to passport control - and British tourists will be happy