European airport and airline associations have once again urged the European Commission to take immediate action as they warn the new digital Entry/Exit System (EES) risks travel mayhem and misery for millions this summer.
In the latest appeal ahead of the summer travel season, organisations representing European airports and airlines have called on the European Commission to adopt urgent measures to limit delays at border checks, which are now not only causing disruptions for travellers but also “undermining Europe’s reputation, European tourism and connectivity,” a letter says.
Since October 12th 2025, the 29 countries of the Schengen area (25 EU member states plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein) have been operating the Entry/Exit System (EES), a new IT scheme that gathers digital personal records of visitors from third countries and replaces the manual stamping of passports.
The system requires passengers to register fingerprints and facial images the first time they cross an external Schengen border. The data is recorded in a Europe-wide database that tracks each time travellers enter and exit the Schengen area to avoid people staying beyond the limits of the 90/180-day rule.
