EU’s Entry/Exit System: EU ministers approve phased launch of digital border system

On 5 March, home affairs ministers of the European Union agreed on a joint position on a regulation allowing for the progressive start of operations of the Entry/Exit System, an IT system for registering the entry and exit into the Schengen area of non-EU nationals who are travelling to the EU for a short stay. 

This law will make it possible for member states to start the EES progressively during a six-month transition period before fully launching the new system.

Once members of the European Parliament (EP) reach their position, the Council and EP can start negotiations to settle on the final law.

Ministers also approved a revised roadmap for the roll-out of the so-called interoperability architecture, an interconnected system of IT tools used for border management and law enforcement. According to the roadmap, which was adopted by the management board of eu-LISA, the EU agency in charge of building the IT infrastructure, the EES will start in a progressive manner in October 2025. The revised Eurodac, an EU biometric database that assists with the identification of asylum seekers, will enter into operation in June 2026. And the European Travel and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will finally be launched in the last quarter of 2026.

ETIAS is an online travel authorisation, not a visa. With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, you will be able to stay in any of the 30 European countries for 90 days in any 180-day period.

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Press release