EU’s EES (Entry/Exit System)starts long-awaited implementation
The European Union has begun phased implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES), a major upgrade to border-control procedures across the Schengen Area. This new digital system is aimed at streamlining the management of short-stay non-EU travellers and enhancing border security.
The rollout commenced on 12 October 2025 and will continue in transitional mode until 10 April 2026, by which time all 29 participating countries are expected to have activated the system at external border points.
Under EES, UK travellers will no longer receive a manual passport stamp on arrival. Instead, personal data — including fingerprints and a facial image — will be collected upon first entry and a digital record of entry and exit will be logged in the system.
EES will apply when entering 25 EU countries but not Cyprus or Ireland. It will also apply in Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein, as these are part of the Schengen area.
EES registration will take place on arrival in the EU, however, for business travellers, there is one key exception, namely the Eurostar terminal at London St Pancras, where passengers pass through EU border control before departure. The same applies to Port of Dover.
From a corporate travel perspective, the introduction of EES has several important implications:
Border processing time may increase during the initial phase. Businesses should anticipate some delays at arrival points as kiosks or biometric gates are brought into service and travellers adapt to the new process.
Traveller monitoring becomes more critical. Since the system is designed to detect overstays and non-compliant entries/exits, companies with employees travelling frequently into the Schengen area must ensure travel patterns and durations remain within legal limits (typically 90 days within any 180-day period for visa-exempt stays).
Pre-travel guidance is essential. Travellers should be briefed on the new biometric-registration process, know what to expect on arrival and allow for extra time at border control where necessary. Operationally, travel teams may want to build in buffer time (for example, arriving earlier than usual) during the transition period.
Policy implications for corporate travel programmes. Travel policy should be updated to reflect the new processing realities at borders, including enhanced monitoring of stay durations, possible queue-risk management for major hubs and the potential need to plan alternative arrival times or airports if delays are expected.
For UK travellers, the Government has issued guidance summarising how EES will affect travel into Schengen states. No action is required in advance by travellers, but they should be ready to provide biometric data at the border and be aware of the possibility of additional waiting time.
There are two potential ways of speeding up the EES process. The first is simply that if you possess an Irish passport, use it. Secondly, an app is being developed by Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, which will allow pre-registration, although fingerprints will still need to be scanned at borders. The app is being piloted by several European countries but there is no news on this from the UK.
Meanwhile, in summary: the EES rollout is a significant step towards the digitalisation of European border controls. For business travel managers and corporate travellers alike, ensuring smooth journeys will require updated planning, traveller communication and a realistic allowance for slightly extended processing times during the rollout period.
For further information, please contact your dedicated travel consultant.
