The European Commission has announced that the introduction of the Entry/Exit System will be delayed until further notice.
The automated registry for short-stay travellers was expected to come into effect on November 10.
Ylva Johansson, the EC Commissioner for Home Affairs, made the announcement on October 10 saying she hoped the programme could start as soon as possible but that there was no new timeline yet. She said the UK, Germany, France and the Netherlands, as essential transport hubs, had warned that they would not be ready, see report by Travel News.
“We are supporting ports and carriers to make sure they have the right technology and processes in place so EES registration can take place as smoothly as possible, while also working with the European Commission, France and local authorities to ensure we are prepared,” a spokesperson for the UK Home Office told Euronews.
According to European publications, some researchers believe the delays could be beneficial to the eventual implementation of the EES system, as countries will have more time to prepare.
Sources have told publications such as Travel Weekly UK and Travelmole, that the lack of live testing for the gates and software had caused concern among travel professionals, as EES’s implementation was likely to cause delays and setbacks for their clients who did not hold EU passports.
As a result, key travel industry players are supporting the idea of a phased roll-out that will allow the system to be thoroughly tested before implementation.