Officials Voice Schengen EES Concerns from Both Sides of the Channel

French Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete has voiced concerns about the upcoming rollout of the Entry/Exit System (EES) at Schengen area entry points, citing potential operational issues due to a lack of equipment and police personnel.

The EES, scheduled to begin in autumn, will require non-EU passengers to register their personal information, including biometric data, at kiosks. Vergriete fears that these challenges could lead to significant delays and public order issues, particularly at busy ports and airports like Charles de Gaulle.

“I fear problems,” Vergriete said. “We are aware of the risk in terms of passenger fluidity. It is a challenge and we must not get this wrong.”

These concerns were shared during a conference for the aviation industry on May 23, with Vergriete suggesting a potential postponement of the EES rollout, though he acknowledged that obtaining such a delay from the European Commission would be difficult.

The EES aims to enhance security by logging the personal details of passengers from outside the Schengen area, but has raised widespread concerns about delays, especially for non-Schengen travelers.

UK foreign secretary David Cameron is among those who share Vergriete’s concerns.

“I think we’ve made some progress, but I think there are some big choke points at Dover and St Pancras – and I’m really worried about there being long delays for people,” said Cameron when speaking to the European Scrutiny Committee. “I think it’s clear to me that the technology still needs testing and improving,.”

The EES will collect and store biometric data such as fingerprints and facial images for three years, and while some measures like a pre-registration app are in development to expedite the process, the French government has yet to confirm its use.

The upcoming Paris Olympic Games also loom as a potential complication, with Mr. Vergriete stating that though he had “alerted” Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin to the issues at hand, the pressing security concerns must take priority over the EES at this point in time. Vergriete denied the existence of issues between his department and that of Mr. Darmanin, but added that there are ““concerns about the number of police personnel and the technology, which could face serious operational problems.”

This is the latest in an ongoing saga of concerns and delays over the EES rollout. In July of last year a group of Belgian EU affiliates proposed separating the databases for the EES and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) to address implementation delays.

A few months later, in October of 2023, the European Union further postponed the implementation of the EES to Autumn this year, to allow for a phased approach in capturing and storing biometrics across member states, and with the aim of offering more flexibility and acknowledging varying readiness levels.

Source: UK Parliament Committees, The Connexion

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May 25, 2024 — by Tony Bitzionis