European Commission addresses technical challenges with new EES border control system

The European Commission is holding meetings with the aviation industry to resolve operational delays caused by the new Entry/Exit System (EES). The digital system, which replaces manual passport stamping for non-EU travelers with biometric data collection, has caused wait times of up to five hours at major airports, including Brussels. Commission spokesperson Markus Lamert acknowledged that over 2 million travelers are processed weekly, leading to congestion. While the Commission attributes many delays to structural and technical infrastructure limitations at individual airports, industry groups like Airlines for Europe (A4E) and IATA have expressed significant concerns. Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner has initiated consultations with member states to mitigate further disruptions before the summer season. To address the bottlenecks, the agency Frontex will deploy additional personnel to busy airports to assist with operations and the implementation of a new pre-registration application.