Europe's Entry/Exit System Activated on 10th, Airport Congestion Raises Concerns
Europe's Entry/Exit System (EES) was fully implemented on April 10th, but faces challenges including system instability, staff shortages, and airport congestion. Belgium has temporarily suspended biometric data registration, and the European Airports Association is calling for a complete suspension of the EES. The system mandates passport scans, fingerprints, and facial recognition for non-EU travelers to enhance border security and reduce crime.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 10, 2026 at 08:31
- 🔍 Collected: April 10, 2026 at 09:00 (29 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 18:15 (129h 15m after Collected)
Europe's Entry/Exit System (EES), launched on October 12 last year, requires non-EU citizens to scan their passports and undergo fingerprint and facial image capture at border registration. The EU granted Schengen member states a six-month grace period, allowing for phased implementation according to each country's situation, with the system to be fully established by April 10 this year.
The EES system is an automated monitoring system designed to enhance border security and reduce crime. Its core measures include digitally recording entry/exit and refusal of entry information; additionally, it performs biometric identification by collecting travelers' facial images and fingerprints.
According to EU statistics, since the EES system was activated last year, over 45 million people have entered or left European countries through this system. More than 24,000 people were denied entry for various reasons, such as insufficient justification for entry, expired documents, or forged documents.
At the same time, the system has identified over 600 individuals posing a security risk to Europe. The EU points out that if these individuals are denied entry by one country, the relevant records are stored in the system, and if they attempt to enter from another country using the system, border enforcement agencies can directly access the refusal records.
However, since its phased implementation last year, the system has continuously faced challenges such as insufficient system stability, shortages of border control personnel, slower-than-expected hardware deployment, and excessive airport crowds. Therefore, the EU has also granted member states a certain degree of flexibility under the premise of timely full implementation.
According to the Belgian news agency, Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin recently announced that Belgium would temporarily suspend the registration of biometric data within the EES, citing severe queues at airports during testing.
He stated that long queues are "unacceptable" for both passengers and Brussels' image. The delay in implementation will not affect the quality of existing checks; every traveler entering Belgian territory will undergo strict inspection to ensure Belgium's security. Relevant authorities will continue to consult with the European Commission to establish a timetable for the full implementation of EES biometric data registration.
The European Airports Association expressed concern regarding the official launch of this new system.
The European Airports Association recently issued a statement indicating that the latest data collected from European airports shows a continuous deterioration in border control waiting times. During peak hours, waiting times of two hours have become common, with some airports facing even longer queues.
The European Airports Association called on the European Commission to provide emergency authorization for a "complete suspension of EES," stating that "partial suspension" authority is insufficient for airports to cope with significant delays; it also urged policymakers not to consider "waiting times exceeding one hour" as normal, as this would harm the traveler experience and the efficiency of the European air transport system.
The EES system is an automated monitoring system designed to enhance border security and reduce crime. Its core measures include digitally recording entry/exit and refusal of entry information; additionally, it performs biometric identification by collecting travelers' facial images and fingerprints.
According to EU statistics, since the EES system was activated last year, over 45 million people have entered or left European countries through this system. More than 24,000 people were denied entry for various reasons, such as insufficient justification for entry, expired documents, or forged documents.
At the same time, the system has identified over 600 individuals posing a security risk to Europe. The EU points out that if these individuals are denied entry by one country, the relevant records are stored in the system, and if they attempt to enter from another country using the system, border enforcement agencies can directly access the refusal records.
However, since its phased implementation last year, the system has continuously faced challenges such as insufficient system stability, shortages of border control personnel, slower-than-expected hardware deployment, and excessive airport crowds. Therefore, the EU has also granted member states a certain degree of flexibility under the premise of timely full implementation.
According to the Belgian news agency, Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin recently announced that Belgium would temporarily suspend the registration of biometric data within the EES, citing severe queues at airports during testing.
He stated that long queues are "unacceptable" for both passengers and Brussels' image. The delay in implementation will not affect the quality of existing checks; every traveler entering Belgian territory will undergo strict inspection to ensure Belgium's security. Relevant authorities will continue to consult with the European Commission to establish a timetable for the full implementation of EES biometric data registration.
The European Airports Association expressed concern regarding the official launch of this new system.
The European Airports Association recently issued a statement indicating that the latest data collected from European airports shows a continuous deterioration in border control waiting times. During peak hours, waiting times of two hours have become common, with some airports facing even longer queues.
The European Airports Association called on the European Commission to provide emergency authorization for a "complete suspension of EES," stating that "partial suspension" authority is insufficient for airports to cope with significant delays; it also urged policymakers not to consider "waiting times exceeding one hour" as normal, as this would harm the traveler experience and the efficiency of the European air transport system.
FAQ
When was the European Entry/Exit System (EES) fully implemented?
The EES was fully implemented on April 10th of this year.
What are the main challenges faced by the EES implementation?
The main challenges include insufficient system stability, shortages of border control personnel, slower-than-expected hardware deployment, and excessive airport crowds.