EU nations agree on phased launch of digital border system
Interior ministers of European Union countries have reached an agreement in Brussels regarding the gradual implementation of the new digital border management system, the Entry/Exit System (EES). The regulation could come into effect as early as October.
The head of the Ministry of the Interior, Tomasz Siemoniak, chaired the meeting of EU interior ministers in Brussels on Wednesday due to Poland's presidency in the EU Council. Before the meeting began, Siemoniak assured that Poland is eager to "strongly push these discussions forward so that this regulation could be adopted in the autumn."
The EU will introduce a new system
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an IT system that will digitally record entry, exit, or refusal of entry, passport data, fingerprints, and facial images (photos) of citizens from third countries crossing the external borders of the European Union for short-term stays, i.e., 90 days in any 180 days.
Heads of member states have agreed to implement the EES as part of the regulation's gradual rollout. EU countries will also aim to register at least 10% of border crossings in the first month. During the first two months, countries will use the EES without biometric features, meaning they will not collect fingerprints or take photos of individuals arriving or departing.
After three months, the system's functions are expected to fully utilise at least half the EU border crossings. Countries should complete the registration of all crossings by the end of the EES'S gradual implementation period. Until this goal is achieved, member states will continue stamping travel documents manually.
This approach allows member states flexibility—some can implement the regulations immediately, while others can do so gradually. Siemoniak described this decision as "a significant progression in the field of EU border control and protection."
He assessed that the chosen solution strikes a balance between flexibility and ensuring the security of migration movements.
New EES system
The EU Council, which brings together member states, stated that collecting biometric data from individuals crossing EU external borders will ensure real-time access to personal data of third-country nationals, their travel history, and information on whether they comply with the permitted stay period in the Schengen area.
The ministers highlighted that the EES will play a crucial role in enhancing the security of the Schengen area by greatly lowering the chances of identity fraud and unauthorized stay extensions.
The date for the start of the system's gradual implementation is not yet known, as the European Commission must approve it after the legislation comes into effect. According to Siemoniak, this should occur in October.
