EU fingerprint checks for holidaymakers delayed indefinitely

Scanning tech pushed back amid ‘concerns when it comes to the resilience of the system’

New EU border rules which would force British tourists to submit fingerprints and facial biometrics have been postponed indefinitely.
Brussels will now investigate the possibility of a new approach, which would involve phasing in the system gradually over time. The rules had been due to come into force on Nov 10.
It is the third time it has been postponed, but this time no new deadline has been set.
The European Commission said the deadline for the Entry/Exit System (EES) would be delayed a month before it was due to come into force after a meeting of EU interior ministers in Luxembourg on Thursday.
Germany, France and the Netherlands had said they were not ready to roll out the new electronic replacement for wet-stamping the passports of non-EU citizens entering the Schengen Zone.
Ylva Johansson, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, said there were “some concerns when it comes to the resilience of the system”.
The three countries are responsible for 40 per cent of all inward traffic in to the EU and have faced IT difficulties.
There have also been warnings that the EES will lead to long queues when first introduced because of the need to submit the biometric data.
The latest delay comes just days after Spain warned the UK the new rules would mean a hard border with Gibraltar and urged London to cave to its demands over a post-Brexit deal making the Rock part of Schengen.
“10th of November is no longer on the table,” Ms Johansson said after the meeting of interior ministers.
“I hope we can start as soon as possible but there’s no new timeline so far. This also depends on the legal assessment that we will do and we’re working on it right now.”
Ms Johannsson said the EES could be introduced “with a little step by step going into the system, not a Big Bang of all border crossing points at the same time.”
However, that could throw up legal problems because the original regulations were not written with that approach in mind.
“The Commission has been given a mandate to work on a phased approach for the rollout, which might require some legal tweaks. So the Commission now has some homework to do,” a diplomat from one member state told The Telegraph.
The EES was meant to be introduced in summer last year but was delayed amid French concerns over disruption to the Paris Olympics and Rugby World Cup. It was rescheduled for Oct 6 before being delayed again to Nov 10.
It will apply to non-EU citizens, including Britons, entering the passport-free Schengen Zone for visits, holidays and business trips for a stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period
All entries and exits will be recorded. Once it is working, visitors will have to provide passports, have their face photographed and fingerprints scanned electronically.
The system is meant to help crack down on people overstaying short term visas and identity fraudsters.
The Schengen Zone consists of most – but not all – of the EU’s 27 member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Bulgaria and Romania are expected to join soon.
The UK was never a member of Schengen when it was in the EU. Ireland, which has a Common Travel Area with the UK, and Cyprus are the only EU states which are not Schengen members and passports will continue to be stamped manually there.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of The Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “An inordinate amount of work has already been undertaken across the UK Outbound Travel industry in preparing for these new digital border systems and the numerous delays to the introduction of the scheme are not conducive to good public awareness, and this further delay whilst it gives more time to prepare remains another point of confusion.
“The confirmed delay by the EU of the infamous EES launch will inevitably give the travel industry a huge sigh of relief as there was significant concern at the preparedness throughout the EU bloc that would inevitably have caused delay and setbacks for so many non-EU passport holders at the borders.”
Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs at ABTA – The Travel Association said: “It is good to know the full implementation of EES is no longer expected in November, as the industry had been left in limbo waiting for news on when it will start.
“We do still need urgent confirmation and clarification on the next steps of EES; it’s difficult to talk to a customer about a new system without knowing if it will actually be in place for their trip.