After months, if not years of delays, On Wednesday, the Civil Liberties Committee endorsed plans to gradually roll out the Entry-Exit System (EES) at the EU’s external borders for Britons and other third-party countries. Once operational the system will register data of third‑country nationals, including biometric data such as facial images and fingerprints, as they enter and leave the Schengen area, such as Mallorca and Spain, on short-stay visas. This is intended to improve security, speed up the process, and reduce queues.
By launching the system gradually, and allowing member states to start operating it in stages, it should be possible to prevent a simultaneous launch everywhere from compromising the system’s resilience. During the roll-out period, the launch could be temporarily suspended if waiting times become too long or there are technical issues, says the Committee report.
Roll-out over 180 days
According to the proposed legislation, the Commission will decide when to commence a 180-day period during which EU countries will begin the incremental implementation of the EES at their borders. On day one of this period, at least 10% of border crossings would have to be registered in the new system, followed by up to 50% by day 90, and 100% by the end of the 180 days.
In their amendments to the Commission’s proposal, Committee MEPs underline that member states should be free to decide whether to roll the system out gradually or all at once. They propose that if EU countries do opt to implement the EES in stages, then they should enjoy more flexibility in reaching certain milestones - namely, 10% of border crossings registered in the system to be achieved by day 30 (instead of day one), and 35% (instead of 50%) by day 90.
MEPs also want to include contingency procedures for the central EES system, and recommend that neither the start nor the end of the gradual roll-out period should coincide with peak travel seasons, i.e. June-August and December-February.
After the vote, rapporteur Assita Kanko (ECR, Belgium) said: “The purpose of the Entry-Exit System is to make EU citizens safer. In the eight years since the EES legislation was adopted, security threats have only increased, meaning that the system is now more important than ever. Unfortunately, the system is still not operational, as not all member states are as yet ready for its full launch. With this gradual roll-out, we aim to get the system up and running as soon as realistically possible, and I’m glad about the broad support in Parliament for my position.”
The Entry-Exit System (EES) is one of the EU’s interoperable databases for border management and security. Once it is fully operational, physical stamping of passports will be replaced by entries in the EES, to be accessible for real-time consultation by other Schengen area member states, in line with their security needs.
The EES has been developed by the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA).
The system will mark the first time that biometric data, including fingerprints and facial images, are collected systematically at EU external borders. It is expected to reduce violations of entry rules.
6 comments
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Afraid to tell you that your image is already captured tens, hundreds or even thousands of times a day depending on your location and activities. Unless you have something to hide then what is the issue? Approx. 10 years ago when travelling into the US I had an issue with my passport (dual passports and I was travelling with my second on this trip). All was fine and the immigration official just needed corroboration to allow entry. Anyway, he tells me that as you are even in the queue to get to the desk, facial recognition has already scanned you, knows who you are and has your details ready before you hit the desk. Who knows what is achievable now.
They’ve got all your details somewhere once you have a passport, computer or phone so what does it matter if they’ve got your fingerprints.
Semolous Van DessIdiot.
Johnny CIn theory... Once this has fully rolled out and non-EU visitors have registered, then for them, entry and exit should be reduced to swiping your passport, putting your hand on the sensor, looking in the camera, waiting for the beep and the gate opens and simply walking in. Much faster than the current system. But ok, some people prefer the old way. For them, there's always Blackpool and Brighton.
Semolous Van DessI don't understand your problem unless you're a criminal. You've had a photo of your face in your passport from the first passport you applied for, even if you were a child. For at least 15 years, there has been a digital version of your photo embedded in the chip of your biometric passport. I'm assuming you don't reside in the E.U. because this only applies to non E.U. residents. If you are an EU national, your ID card will have your photo and fingerprint on it. If you are a non EU national living legally in Spain, you will have submitted your photo and fingerprints for your T.I.E. or, previously, for your residency card or A4 green paper.
Guess I won't be travelling abroad anymore then! I'm sorry, but I refuse to have my fingerprints and face scanned. Huge invasion of privacy!