Nine EU countries can pause EES rollout for the rest of 2026 — here’s why

The roll-out of the entry and exit system (EES) hasn’t exactly been smooth (Picture: Getty Images) The EU has allowed multiple countries in the Schengen Zone to pause rolling out the entry and exit system (EES) in full.

At least nine countries can now wait until the necessary technology required to complete facial and fingerprint scans is up to scratch.

These countries include France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Italy and Switzerland.

The European Commission wants the ‘remaining operational challenges fully addressed by the end of the year.’

Introduced in October 2025, the EES system replaced traditional manual passport stamping with electronic tracking. It requires non-EU citizens to register fingerprints and photos when they enter the 29 countries known as the Schengen Area. Except it hasn’t exactly been plain sailing.

Since the partial implementation, European airports have seen queues lasting multiple hours at passport control, and in some cases, passengers have even reported missing their flights home.

Over the summer, member states were able to partially suspend these digital checks in exceptional circumstances to speed up the process.

However, the grace period for this ended on September 6, which led Ryanair to label the system a ‘shambles,’ with COO Neal McMahon asking the EU Commission to extend the EES derogation until April 2027.

Earlier this month, he said: ‘The EU’s handling of EES has been a shambles from start to finish.

‘Airlines, airports and border authorities repeatedly warned Brussels that the rollout was not ready, that it would increase processing times and that it would create excessive queues for passengers. Those warnings were ignored, with EU citizens the ones delayed and disrupted.’

Now, the European Commission has revealed it’s in ‘close and constructive contact’ with the member states where adjustments are needed, namely to speed up the flow of people at certain crossing points.

A spokesperson for the European Commission told The i Paper: ‘We have asked them to further intensify their operational preparedness, including the necessary technical, organisational and communication measures, with a view to ensuring that remaining challenges are fully addressed by the end of the year.’

Most travellers from outside the EU, known as third-country nationals, will be required to register their passport details and biometric data when crossing into an EU country for the first time.

Biometric data includes fingerprints and facial pictures. This data, as well as the entry and exit details, will be stored for subsequent visits.

Future visits will only require verification of the biometric data, which can speed up the process.

Border officials will then also ask extra questions about accommodation, whether travellers have enough money for the trip, insurance and a return ticket.

Children are not exempt from the checks, although children under 12 do not need to give fingerprints; however, they will also need to have their face scanned.

Usually, the checks will be carried out at the destination airport or port on arrival.

Travellers heading to the EU will go through the checks there, as these are dual British and French border locations.

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It means you don’t then need to go through the checks again when stepping off the train or ferry on the European mainland.

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