The Commission of the European Union has confirmed that the EU is still aiming to launch the Entry/Exit System (EES) in November.
Such a confirmation from the Commission comes after it was reported that the EES launch date may be delayed as some EU countries were encountering difficulties in completing all the procedures in time, Schengen.News reports.
As the Gibraltar Chronicle explains, an EU Commission spokesperson said that the body is supporting all member countries needing help to be ready for operation in November.
The spokesperson further emphasised that the target date for the implementation of the new border system remains the same.
The Commission confirmed earlier in August that the EES would become effective on November 10, noting that the launch may be postponed for another seven days to November 17 as a last resort.
However, this date was questioned after three EU countries reportedly said that they would not be ready to implement the EES in early October.
According to the Guardian, France, Germany, and the Netherlands sent a letter to the EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson. In the letter, the three countries said that they need more time to implement the new border system.
Even though it is not clear what else was included in the letter, it was explained that these three countries have been unable to carry out tests to see if the process will go smoothly once the system is launched.
Still, since the Commission said that it aims to launch the EES in early November, it means that the authority will support these three countries and any other country that might be facing any difficulties in the matter.
What Is the EU’s New Entry/Exit System?
The EU’s new immigration system, the EES, is an automated system that will replace manual passport stamping.
As soon as the system is launched, all non-EU citizens, regardless of whether they are permitted visa-free entry to the EU or not, will be required to register.
During the registration process, travellers will have to provide their fingerprints and facial images as well as other personal information, such as the data that is listed in the travel document.
As soon as all the information is provided, a profile will be created, and the data will be stored in a database for three years. This data will then be used to register the entry and exit of non-EU citizens into the bloc, detect overstayers, prevent irregular migration, and identify individuals using fake identities, among others.