New EU Border Restrictions Confirmed With Full Details On EES And ETIAS

An updated schedule for the Entry/Exit System (EES) of the European Union after Brexit has been approved.

EU ministers have approved a revised time-frame for the implementation of the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) in the wake of Brexit. The Entry-Exit System (EES) for the European Union after Brexit was scheduled to become live in 2022. But it has run into a number of obstacles.

The original date of May 2023 was moved back to December 2023, and then December 2023 was pushed back again. EU authorities have now said that the system's first phases would go live in late 2024.

Once implemented, non-EU citizens visiting the Schengen Area will be subject to additional security checks. While some have predicted chaos upon the scheme's introduction, others have expressed optimism that the several delays have given nations plenty time to be ready for the shift.

Visitors from the United Kingdom and other countries who do not need a visa to enter the European Union will be able to use an automated registration system called the Entry-Exit System.

Passports or other travel documents will need to be scanned at a self-service kiosk every time a traveller crosses an external EU border. Those with permanent residence or extended visitor visas are exempt. Name, fingerprints, and entry/exit locations will all be stored in a database. After a journey, biometric data will be stored for three years.

This includes all EU nations save Cyprus and Ireland, as well as the four non-EU Schengen Area countries of Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

Those who overstay their 90-day Schengen visa (within an 180-day term) will be flagged by the EES, which is being implemented to increase border security.

On the other hand, airlines have backed the delays since they provide extra time for preparations. When it comes to EU border control, the EES will be a game-changer. The European region of Airports Council International (ACI), Airlines for Europe (A4E), the European Regions Airline Association (ERA), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) issued a joint statement highlighting the need to address a number of issues before the new system can be rolled out and put into execution without causing delays for air passengers.

The coalition also called for airports and airlines to be provided with "adequate resources" to help them comply with the new regulations. To further notify travellers about the alterations, the groups advocated for a public communications effort.

What's the status of ETIAS?

The ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) communicates with the EES. Non-EU nationals who previously did not need a visa to visit the EU will now need to apply for a travel authorization to do so. The visa exemption will become required for all short-term visitors to the Schengen Area.

The target launch date for ETIAS had been planned for November 2023. Yet, EU authorities have approved a time-frame that would see it implemented in the first half of 2025.

ETIAS applications may be submitted online by travellers before to departure for a fee of €7. The electronic travel authorization will be connected to the individual's passport electronically and will be valid for three years if authorized.

However, the EES has been delayed due to problems with contractors completing deadlines.

All land, sea, and air borders between the Schengen Area and the rest of the world must be equipped with automated EES barriers. Self-service kiosks and smartphone applications will enable travellers to register their information, and then border guards or e-gates will perform the inspections. The EES is expected to become operational somewhere between the third and fourth quarters of 2024.

At the same time, there is worry that the EES may cause longer wait times at border crossings in the UK and internationally. Several nations voice their displeasure with the European Council's slow pace of EES implementation in a Statewatch report. They claim they are fast running out of time to test the system before launching it.

To lessen the possibility of lengthy wait times at crossings, the European Commission has advised implementing the system gradually and flexibly.

 

Source: euronews.com