Nine EU Countries Delay Full EES Biometric Border Checks

Non-EU travelers from Copenhagen connecting through major European hubs face changing border procedures. Nine EU countries have requested more time to start full biometric border checks. These countries include France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Switzerland, and Malta. Spain is fully implementing the Entry and Exit System, known as EES.

The EES requires fingerprinting and facial scans for non-EU citizens. The system was due to be fully operational on September 6. That deadline has now passed. Several member states still use reduced biometric checks at busy airport border points. This flexibility aims to prevent long queues for travelers.

Major transfer hubs like Frankfurt and Amsterdam Schiphol are already taking biometrics. However, smaller regional airports are still struggling to adapt. Only twelve border crossing points out of 1,500 still face major issues. Brussels confirmed it will not prosecute countries that miss the deadline.

The system has registered about 200 million people so far. It has stopped 70,000 individuals from entering the Schengen area. The pre-authorization app, Travel to Europe, will soon work for seven countries. Currently, it is operational only in Sweden and Portugal, as reported by The Guardian.