HEALTHPLAN MAGAZINE

EU home affairs ministers have officially approved the revised timeline for the rollout of two critical EU border systems that will impact non-EU citizens entering the Schengen area in the foreseeable future.

This significant decision pertains to the Entry/Exit System (EES), designed to comprehensively record data of individuals from non-EU nations each time they enter or exit the Schengen area. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is the other major component, mandating that non-EU citizens from visa-exempt countries obtain a digital authorization before embarking on their journeys.

It's important to note that foreign nationals with official residency status within the EU will be exempt from both EES and ETIAS requirements when entering the Schengen area.

Originally, the introduction of both systems was expected to be completed by now. However, various obstacles over the past months have led to several delays. On Thursday, eu-LISA, the EU agency tasked with developing and managing IT systems for EU border management, presented the new implementation timeline during a meeting of EU Home Affairs Council ministers in Luxembourg.

"The updated roadmap for the deployment of the new IT architecture envisions that the Entry/Exit system will become operational in the second half of 2024, while ETIAS will launch in the first half of 2025," an official shared with The Local newspaper in Spain. To be more specific, EES is scheduled for implementation between the third and fourth quarters of 2024, and ETIAS will follow between the first and second quarters of 2025.

While the ministers endorsed the revised timeline, it's worth noting that the EU Council does not possess a formal decision-making role, according to an EU official speaking to The Local.

These approximate dates had been widely speculated upon, primarily because French authorities had requested a postponement of EES until after the Paris Olympics in the summer of 2024. This decision, in turn, pushed back the ETIAS rollout to the spring of 2025.

A spokesperson for the Commission has mentioned that preparations are underway for a global information campaign designed to inform travelers ahead of these crucial dates.

Understanding EES and ETIAS

The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) represents a digital initiative to register non-EU citizens each time they cross the external borders of the Schengen Area, whether by air, land, or sea. EES aims to replace the manual stamping of passports with an electronic record of entries and exits. This system will record a person's name, type of travel document, fingerprints, facial images, and the date and location of arrival and departure. Its primary objective is to bolster border security, including the enforcement of the rule stipulating a maximum 90-day stay within any 180-day period for short-term visitors.

The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), anticipated to follow six months later, will require individuals from visa-exempt countries traveling to the Schengen area for short stays to apply for authorization before embarking on their journey.

Source: theLocal