Immigration: EC Spokesperson: ETIAS Launch May Be Delayed Until the Introduction of Entry/Exit System

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The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) may not come into force until the Entry/Exit System (EES) becomes operational, a spokesperson of the European Commission said recently.

The electronic system of ETIAS, which allows and keeps track of visitors from countries that do not need a visa to enter the Schengen Zone, and intends to decrease security concerns substantially through its information and data gathering systems, was set to come into force on January 2021. However, its launching may be postponed for later.

EU Commission’s spokesperson for security, regulation, rule of law and fundamental rights Katarzyna Kolanko told to Nezavisne, that though the ETIAS scheme was planned to become operational by January 2021, this may, in fact, happen later, when the EES starts applying at the EU borders, on 2022.

“The deployment of ETIAS system (which involves facial and fingerprint scanning) is planned in 2021, however, it may be delayed and deployed at a time when a new border crossing regime begins,” Kolanko said.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is a new scheme established by the European Union. The main purpose behind the founding of the EES is to register entry and exit data of non-EU nationals crossing the external borders of EU Member States in order to strengthen and protect the external borders of the Schengen area and to safeguard and increase the security for its citizens.

In addition, the system will replace passport stamps, as they will no longer be needed once the EES starts registering and storing all entry/exit data.

According to Kolanko, since there will be no stamping after the start of the new system implementation, this means that all data will be checked by scanning itself, without passport scrolling, what she believes will be a very quick process.

“The system will check the name, validity of the document, fingerprint and facial scanning. Not only will there be any additional workload for those traveling, but crossing the border will become quick and easy,” she points out.

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