New European border rules delayed amid fears of holiday travel chaos
- At least nine countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, have reportedly delayed the implementation of the European Union’s Entry-Exit System (EES) to prevent border disruption and maintain traffic fluidity.
- The new biometric border control scheme requires non-EU citizens to provide fingerprints and facial scans, which previously caused severe queues and technical difficulties during summer travel.
- Despite the official 150-day grace period expiring on 6 September, Brussels has informally permitted member states to defer the checks until the required systems and software are fully operational.
- Airlines and aviation figures have strongly criticised the rollout, with Ryanair describing the situation as a shambles and urging the European Commission to extend the derogation until at least April 2027.
- The UK government has allocated over £30 million to upgrade infrastructure and increase processing capacity at key departure points including the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel, and Eurostar.
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