The EU's new EES biometric passport checks have been the subject of controversy and complaints about travel delays, but France's Interior Ministry says they 'protect European citizens on a daily basis', adding that France was taking a 'pragmatic' approach to the rollout.
Much of the media coverage of the EU's Entry & Exit System has focused on the repeated delays and the chaos at border control points as the enhanced checks lead to long queues.
But France's Interior Ministry has come to the system's defence, saying that it is serving its purpose, with more than 44,000 people refused entry to the EU since its introduction in 2025, mostly due to over-staying visa or 90-day limits, or due to security concerns.
The Interior Ministry told UK newspaper The Independent: "More than 110 million entries and exits have been recorded in the system, and over 44,000 entry refusals have been notified, including more than 1,100 concerning individuals posing a threat to internal security.
“These figures demonstrate that EES effectively protects European citizens on a daily basis.”
