The EU's post-Brexit Entry/Exit System (EES) is expected to launch this autumn. The EU's post-Brexit Entry-Exit System (EES) could be delayed yet again, according to an exclusive report published in The Independent. The UK newspaper claims the new Schengen border checks will now start on 10 November, with the possibility to postpone by a week to 17 November.
The EES was first slated to launch in 2022 but has faced multiple setbacks. It was first rescheduled for May 2023, then delayed until the end of 2023, and until recently was anticipated to launch on 6 October 2024. However, the European Commission has not announced an official launch date and maintains that the EES will come into force this autumn.
"The roadmap for the delivery of the new IT architecture foresees that the Entry/Exit system will be ready to enter into operation in autumn 2024 and that ETIAS will be ready to enter into operation in spring 2025," European Commission Spokesperson Christian Wigand tells Euronews Travel via email. "The exact date will be determined by the European Commission and announced on the EES official website well in time for the start of operations. At the moment we do not have a date to communicate.
" When it finally does come into force, non-EU travellers entering the Schengen Area will face new . Some have anticipated chaos when the scheme launches, while others are hopeful that the repeated delays will give countries enough time to prepare for the change. The Independent also reports.