Austria’s Engineering Costs Soar as Country Adapts to Latest EES Delay

The European Union’s biometric Entry-Exit System (EES), a cornerstone of its “Smart Borders Package,” has faced another significant delay, pushing its implementation to 2025, forcing member states to adapt their strategies and infrastructure, as evidenced by a recent tender modification issued by Austria’s Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI). The tender reveals a substantial increase in allocated resources to accommodate unforeseen technical challenges, regulatory updates, and project timeline extensions.

The EES is designed to modernize EU border management by replacing manual passport stamping with an automated system that collects biometric data, including facial and fingerprint scans, for all non-EU travelers entering and exiting the Schengen Area. Initially set for launch in 2021, the EES has faced multiple delays due to technical complexities and interoperability issues with existing systems like the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). These delays have frustrated member states, which must continuously adjust their national strategies to meet the evolving timeline.

Austria’s recent contract modification provides a window into the logistical challenges EU countries face in implementing the EES. The tender, valued at over €22 million, involves a framework agreement with Germany-based secunet Security Networks AG for the supply of self-registration kiosks, mobile border control systems, cameras, and supporting software.

Originally anticipated to require 2,000 hours of change-request work, the tender now includes 22,492 hours to account for additional requirements driven by EU regulatory changes, interoperability enhancements, and newly recognized technical needs.

Key reasons for this expansion include integrating the EES with ETIAS and Austria’s broader border control systems. The tender also accounts for hypercare services following the system’s launch, the addition of advanced features for secondary inspection processes, and optimizations based on pilot-phase learnings. Such adjustments underscore the complexity of aligning national systems with overarching EU mandates while maintaining strict timelines.

The contract modification highlights the risks of vendor lock-in, as the proprietary nature of secunet’s software precludes other contractors from efficiently completing the changes. Austria’s BMI justified the sole-source amendment by citing the critical need to ensure system compatibility and avoid substantial additional costs. This decision mirrors the challenges faced by other member states, where reliance on specific contractors creates barriers to adapting systems in a fast-evolving regulatory landscape.

The broader delays to the EES underscore the difficulty of deploying a unified biometric border control system across the Schengen Area. Interoperability with existing national and EU-level systems remains a significant hurdle, as does ensuring robust data security and compliance with privacy regulations. Furthermore, each delay risks undermining public confidence in the EU’s ability to manage border security effectively, an area of increasing political sensitivity.

Austria’s proactive response demonstrates a commitment to meeting the revised 2025 deadline, but it also reflects the broader challenges of implementing large-scale biometric systems. With additional delays threatening legal penalties from the European Commission, other member states may need to follow Austria’s example in revisiting their contracts and scaling their efforts to align with new expectations.

Source: TED

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November 27, 2024 – by Cass Kennedy