European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen conceded on Friday that there is still a substantial amount of work required to resolve ongoing technical issues with the EU’s new border check system. The Entry/Exit System (EES), which was implemented last year to track non-EU travelers entering the 27-nation bloc, has come under fire from airlines and airports for causing major disruptions to European air travel.
Industry bodies, including ACI Europe, the A4E airline association, and the International Air Transport Association, have reported that the new system is triggering wait times of up to five hours. With airports bracing for an influx of up to 40 million additional passengers during the summer, these organizations are urging the EU to allow for a suspension of the checks during peak traffic periods. They argue that immediate action is necessary to prevent a total breakdown in travel efficiency.
The EES functions by recording biometric and personal data to monitor overstays and refused entries, effectively replacing the traditional manual passport stamping process. It is currently utilized by EU member states, excluding Ireland and Cyprus, alongside Schengen area countries such as Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland. According to an EU official, since October 2025, the system has processed 108 million entries and exits, resulting in 44,000 entry denials, largely due to missing travel documents or visas.
While acknowledging that the rollout has been far from perfect, von der Leyen emphasized that the Commission is actively working with member states to address the technical shortcomings. “There’s still quite a lot of work to do to have these technical issues solved together with the member states,” she said. An EU official confirmed that a meeting between the Commission and industry representatives is scheduled for July 7 to evaluate the situation. Despite the mounting pressure, but Brussels has also pushed back against some of the criticism, describing the impact at most European airports as limited and noting that the reform was agreed upon by all member states. In a pointed response to the industry complaints, an EU official remarked, “If you’re unhappy, then join the Schengen area.”
Pressed on the matter, the European Commission chief acknowledged the rollout of the scheme — introduced last year to register non-EU travellers entering the 27-nation bloc — was far from perfect.
READ ALSO: 'Critical point' – Europe's airports demand urgent action to avoid summer border delays
