EU weighs pausing biometric border checks past September deadline
Aug 14, 2026
Category: Border and Security EES EU News
The European Union is considering delaying the full rollout of its Entry/Exit System (EES) to avoid further border disruption, according to a report.
Full enforcement is due on 6 September, but industry sources told The Times that Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the commissioner responsible for EES negotiations with non-EU countries, has privately indicated that the checks could be paused.
Tzitzikostas is reportedly pushing to extend a derogation allowing national authorities to suspend the checks beyond that date and has told the UK an extension is possible.
Two clocks, one system
The EES has technically applied at every external border since 10 April 2026, following a staged launch beginning on 12 October 2025.
However, the derogation allows border staff to skip the new checks when scanners or personnel are unavailable, making September more significant for travellers.
The system covers the external borders of 29 European countries and replaces manual passport stamping across most of Europe.
Kiosks that are not there
Airlines have warned that many airports still lack sufficient biometric scanners and staff, causing delays.
Industry sources named Spain’s Alicante among airports that are not ready, citing “insufficient staff, kiosks and system readiness”.
Ryanair warned of “queue chaos” and argued the system was not ready for full implementation.
The EES has already faced calls to be scrapped after creating airport bottlenecks, with reports of passengers missing flights because of long queues.
Holidays on the line
Around a fifth of Britons are considering cancelling European holidays this summer because of the disruption.
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander raised concerns with Tzitzikostas when they met on 14 July.
“We want everyone to have the summer holidays they deserve,” Alexander noted in a statement at the time, adding that the meeting showed everyone pulling in the same direction.
“I was reassured that the EU commissioner for transport understood the concerns of holidaymakers and recognised the need for us to work together,” she continued.
Money before machines
Airports and governments are investing heavily in infrastructure.
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport is preparing a £985 million upgrade that includes facilities to streamline EES checks.
The British government has announced £20 million for additional passport-check booths at the Port of Dover.
Most checks will take place in EU member states, although passengers travelling from Britain through Dover or by train into the EU will undergo them before departure.
From stamps to scans
The EES records non-EU nationals travelling for short stays whenever they cross an external border, replacing passport stamps with digital records.
It applies to stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, whether travellers require a short-stay visa or travel visa-free.
The system records travel-document details, entry and exit dates and locations, facial images, fingerprints and, where applicable, refused-entry information.
The participating countries are:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- the Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
Cyprus and Ireland will continue manual passport stamping.
Travellers can check their remaining permitted days through the EES online tool or at some external border crossings.
The case Brussels makes
The EU argued that the EES will modernise border checks, reduce waiting times, strengthen security and identify travellers who overstay or fail to meet entry conditions.
Travellers with biometric passports may also use automated border-control gates where available.
Access to EES data is limited to relevant border, visa, immigration and law-enforcement authorities, including Europol. Carriers may only check whether short-stay visa holders have used their permitted entries.
Under strict conditions, data may also be transferred to other countries or international organisations.
Participating countries may introduce National Facilitation Programmes to speed crossings for frequent non-EU travellers.
Not everyone gets scanned
Nationals of participating countries, Cyprus and Ireland are exempt.
Other exemptions include certain non-EU family members of EU nationals, residence-permit and long-stay visa holders, nationals of Andorra, Monaco and San Marino, and Vatican and Holy See passport holders.
Valid local border traffic permit holders and some international train crew members are also exempt.
ETIAS still in wings
The second part of the EU’s border overhaul, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), has not yet launched. Applications are not being accepted, and the EU will announce the start date several months in advance.
Once operational, ETIAS will be required for visa-exempt nationals travelling to 30 European countries. It will be linked to a passport and remain valid for up to three years or until the passport expires.
Authorisation will cost EUR 20, although some travellers will be exempt, and will permit stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period without guaranteeing entry.
Most applications should be processed within minutes. Longer cases should be decided within four days, extendable by up to 14 days if further information is required or 30 days if an interview is needed.
Time spent in Cyprus will be counted separately from the 90-day allowance elsewhere.
The system is overseen by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, with development and hosting handled by eu-LISA.
September, or silence
The immediate question is whether Brussels will extend the derogation or allow 6 September to pass without a formal announcement.
Nothing has been confirmed publicly. Current information comes from industry sources and private discussions, leaving airports investing heavily against an uncertain timetable.
The disruption is already evident while checks remain flexible, with cancelled holidays and missed flights strengthening the case for an extension while also showing that a delay alone may not solve the underlying problems.
ETIAS will rely on much of the same infrastructure. Whether the EES arrived too early, or the necessary infrastructure too late, may become clearer in the coming weeks.