This summer, across Europe, the headlines have been dominated by the rollout of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES).
The system, which automatically records who is entering or leaving the Schengen Area, gradually replacing the need for a passport stamp, has led to long queues and airport delays, prompting airlines and some member states to call for its suspension in the busy holiday period.
But the attention on the plight of holidaymakers overlooks a much bigger and far more consequential story.
The EES, together with the European Travel Authorisation System (ETIAS), is part of a broader push to technically integrate databases across migration and public security.
Europe is quietly building the most extensive digital border surveillance infrastructure in its history – one that people can neither see nor challenge.
