Failing immediate action to provide sufficient flexibility, severe disruptions over the peak summer months are a real prospect, the bodies say.
In a letter sent to Magnus Brunner, EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, airports and airlines note persistent excessive waiting times of up to two hours at airport border control. Under the current stage of the EES progressive rollout, 35% of all third-country nationals entering the Schengen zone must be registered.
They identify three critical issues that are compounding EES delays – chronic border control understaffing, unresolved technology issues, especially with regard to border automation, and the limited uptake of the Frontex pre-registration app by Schengen states.
They also warn that unless immediate action is taken to resolve these critical issues, mandatory EES registrations of all border crossings during the peak summer season, in particular in July and August, would result in waiting times of up to four hours or more.
The groups are urging the European Commission to confirm that Schengen Member States will retain the ability to partially or totally suspend EES until the end of October 2026.
‘There is a complete disconnect between the perception of the EU institutions that EES is working well, and the reality, which is that non-EU travellers are experiencing massive delays and inconvenience,’ the organisations add in a joint statement.
‘The rollout of EES must be flexible to react to operational realities. This is an absolute prerequisite for its success – and for safeguarding the reputation of the EU as an efficient, welcoming, and desirable destination.
‘We need to be realistic about what will happen during the peak summer months, when traffic at Europe’s airports doubles.’
