Spain Teams Up With France and Germany as European Union Intensifies Action to Resolve Entry/Exit System Bottlenecks Following Aviation Industry Warnings Over Airport Processing Delays for Holidaymakers

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The European Union is intensifying efforts to stabilise the implementation of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) after airports and airlines warned that the bloc’s new digital border management regime has triggered severe congestion at several international gateways. With travellers reporting waiting times stretching up to five hours at certain external Schengen border checkpoints, the European Commission is now working more closely with member states to address operational bottlenecks before passenger volumes reach their summer peak. The move comes as aviation stakeholders caution that prolonged delays could undermine Europe’s busiest travel season, affecting millions of international passengers entering or leaving the Schengen Area.

The latest developments underline the delicate balance between stronger border security and efficient passenger processing. Since replacing manual passport stamping with biometric registration, the EU Entry/Exit System has already processed more than 110 million border crossings, while preventing over 44,000 inadmissible entries, according to European Commission data. However, as passenger numbers continue to rise across Europe’s major airports, policymakers are under increasing pressure to ensure that technological innovation enhances rather than disrupts the travel experience. The Commission has now committed additional operational support while maintaining that the security benefits of the system remain substantial.

European Union Moves to Stabilise the EU Entry/Exit System Before Peak Travel Demand

Europe’s aviation sector has entered one of its busiest travel periods against the backdrop of a major transformation in external border management. The EU Entry/Exit System represents one of the largest digital border modernisation programmes introduced within the Schengen Area in decades.

Following operational challenges reported by airports and airlines, the European Commission has announced additional support measures aimed at helping member states experiencing implementation difficulties.

Rather than altering the legislation itself, Brussels intends to strengthen operational coordination, technical assistance and practical guidance for national border authorities still adapting to the system.

The initiative reflects growing recognition that while digital border controls offer significant long-term benefits, their early implementation inevitably creates operational pressures that require continuous refinement.

Why the EU Entry/Exit System Is Transforming Border Crossings

The EU Entry/Exit System replaces traditional passport stamping for eligible third-country nationals entering and leaving participating European countries.

Instead of manual immigration stamps, border authorities now collect and verify:

The digital platform is designed to strengthen border management while improving long-term efficiency through automation and centralised data sharing.

Authorities can more effectively identify:

• visa overstays
• fraudulent travel documents
• repeat immigration violations
• multiple identity attempts

The system also supports wider European border security objectives by creating more accurate travel histories.

Countries Currently Using the System

The Entry/Exit System applies across most of the Schengen Area.

This broad geographic coverage means millions of international passengers encounter the system every month.

How the Entry/Exit System Applies Across Europe and What It Means for Travellers

The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is not applied uniformly across every European country. Instead, it operates across the Schengen Area’s external borders, where participating nations have abolished routine internal border checks while sharing a common external border policy. Understanding which countries participate—and why some do not—is essential for international travellers planning multi-country European itineraries.

Schengen EU Member States Form the Core of the Entry/Exit System

The 29-country Schengen Area remains the backbone of Europe’s passport-free travel zone. Most European Union member states, including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Portugal, Greece, Poland and several others, now use the Entry/Exit System at their external borders.

The Schengen Area covers more than 4.5 million square kilometres and is home to approximately 450 million residents. Before the introduction of EES, immigration authorities relied heavily on passport stamps to monitor third-country nationals. The new digital platform automatically records every eligible traveller’s entry and departure, helping authorities detect visa overstays and strengthen border security while reducing document fraud over the long term.

Switzerland Participates Despite Remaining Outside the European Union

Although Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, it is a fully integrated participant in the Schengen Area through bilateral agreements.

Switzerland welcomes more than 40 million international visitors annually, making airports such as Zurich and Geneva among Europe’s busiest international gateways. Because it participates in Schengen cooperation, travellers arriving from outside the Schengen Area complete the same biometric Entry/Exit System procedures as they would when entering France, Germany or Italy.

For international visitors, this means Switzerland follows virtually identical external border procedures despite maintaining political independence from the EU.

Norway Integrates the EES Through Schengen Cooperation

Norway, another non-EU country, participates fully in the Schengen Area and therefore operates the Entry/Exit System at all international external border crossing points.

The country manages extensive international traffic through Oslo Airport, Scandinavia’s second-busiest airport, while also handling significant cruise tourism along its famous fjords. As a Schengen Associated Country, Norway shares border management responsibilities with EU partners, allowing travellers to move freely across participating countries after completing their initial external border checks.

Iceland Applies the System Across Its International Gateways

Despite its relatively small population of around 400,000 residents, Iceland has become one of Europe’s fastest-growing tourism destinations.

International arrivals are concentrated at Keflavík International Airport, which serves millions of passengers each year. Since Iceland belongs to the Schengen Area, eligible non-EU travellers entering the country are registered through the Entry/Exit System in exactly the same manner as elsewhere in the Schengen zone. Once admitted, travellers can continue to other participating countries without undergoing additional routine immigration checks.

Liechtenstein Completes the Schengen Network

Liechtenstein, Europe’s sixth-smallest country with a population of roughly 40,000, joined the Schengen Area in 2011.

Although it has no commercial international airport, Liechtenstein shares open borders with both Switzerland and Austria. As a Schengen participant, it is fully covered by the Entry/Exit System. Travellers typically enter Liechtenstein through neighbouring Swiss or Austrian border points, where biometric registration has already been completed before continuing their journey.

Ireland Retains Independent Border Controls

Unlike most EU member states, Ireland does not participate in the Schengen Area and therefore does not implement the Entry/Exit System.

Instead, Ireland operates its own national immigration framework while maintaining the long-standing Common Travel Area (CTA) with the United Kingdom. This arrangement allows British and Irish citizens to travel freely between the two countries without routine passport controls.

International passengers arriving in Dublin, Cork or Shannon continue to follow Ireland’s national immigration procedures rather than the EU’s digital Entry/Exit System.

Cyprus Remains Outside Schengen but Is Preparing for Future Integration

Although Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004, it has not yet become a full Schengen member.

The island continues to operate its own immigration controls while working towards meeting all technical and legal requirements necessary for future Schengen accession. Once Cyprus formally joins the Schengen Area, it is expected to adopt the Entry/Exit System as part of its external border management framework.

For now, travellers entering Cyprus should continue to follow the country’s existing passport and immigration procedures rather than expecting Schengen-style EES processing.

Operational Challenges Are Emerging at High-Volume Airports

While many border crossings continue operating normally, several busy international airports have experienced noticeable congestion during periods of high passenger demand.

Industry associations argue that biometric enrolment takes longer than traditional passport checks, particularly for first-time users of the system.

Several operational factors contribute to delays:

Industry representatives have therefore urged European authorities to introduce greater operational flexibility during exceptionally busy periods.

European Aviation Industry Calls for Practical Flexibility

Europe’s leading aviation organisations have collectively expressed concern that prolonged processing times could affect passenger confidence during the summer travel season.

The sector has recommended temporary operational measures where necessary, including allowing border authorities to postpone biometric registration during periods of exceptionally high demand.

Such flexibility already exists within parts of the implementation framework and can help authorities maintain passenger flows without compromising overall security objectives.

The European Commission has indicated that temporary flexibility remains available until early September while implementation continues.

What the Numbers Reveal About the New Border System

Available operational data illustrates both the scale and effectiveness of the programme.

European officials maintain that the overwhelming majority of border crossings continue to operate successfully, with relatively few locations experiencing persistent operational disruption.

The refusal statistics also demonstrate the system’s ability to identify travellers lacking valid travel documentation before entering the Schengen Area.

Impact on International Travellers Planning European Holidays

For travellers, the implementation period requires additional preparation rather than significant changes to travel plans.

Passengers entering participating countries for the first time under the new system should expect biometric registration upon arrival.

Travellers can minimise delays by:

Families, tour operators and business travellers may particularly benefit from allowing extra time when arriving at busy European gateways during the holiday season.

Comparison With Previous Border Procedures

The transition represents one of Europe’s most significant border technology upgrades.

Although initial processing may take longer for first-time users, repeat travellers are expected to experience progressively smoother journeys as the system matures.

Balancing Security With Passenger Experience

The European Union continues to emphasise that the EU Entry/Exit System strengthens border protection without restricting legitimate travel.

Digital monitoring improves authorities’ ability to detect overstays, fraudulent documentation and immigration abuse while creating more reliable travel records.

However, passenger experience remains equally important.

The Commission’s latest commitment to provide additional support demonstrates recognition that operational efficiency must accompany technological progress.

As airports continue adapting infrastructure, staffing and passenger flow management, implementation challenges are expected to decline over the coming months.

Europe’s Digital Borders Enter Their Next Phase

The coming weeks will be particularly important for Europe’s aviation industry.

Summer represents the highest annual passenger demand across many major airports, making efficient border processing essential for maintaining operational performance.

Industry cooperation between airports, airlines, border authorities and the European Commission will likely determine how smoothly the remainder of the holiday season progresses.

Although isolated delays continue attracting attention, the broader objective remains clear: creating a more secure, fully digital European external border capable of supporting steadily growing international travel while maintaining efficient passenger movement.