Brussels, 5 March 2025
Today the EU Council established a general approach on a regulation regarding the progressive start of the Entry/Exit digital border management system.
I am very pleased that during the Polish presidency of the EU Council, which focuses on security issues, it was possible to make such significant progress in the control and protection of our external borders. The solution adopted is, on the one hand, flexible and, on the other hand, guarantees the security of migratory movements.
Tomasz Siemoniak, Polish Minister of the Interior and Administration
The EES is an IT system that will digitally record entries and exits, data from the passport, fingerprints, and facial images of non-EU nationals travelling for short stays in an EU member state.
Progressive start
Under the phased deployment, member states will progressively start operating the EES and work towards a minimum registration of 10% of border crossings after the first month. For the first 60 days, member states may operate the EES without biometric functionalities. After three months, member states should operate the EES – with biometric functionalities – at a minimum of half of their border crossing points. EU countries should reach full registration of all individuals by the end of the period of the progressive start of EES operation.
Until the end of this transition period, member states will also continue to manually stamp travel documents.
The regulation does not set a date for the start of the progressive deployment of the system. This will require a separate European Commission decision once the law has entered into force.
Flexibility for member states
The regulation takes the diverse needs of member states into account. It enables those who wish to implement it gradually to do so, while enabling others to start operating the system fully from day one.
Main elements of the Council’s decision
The Council highlighted the importance of confirming, monitoring and addressing any issues in the performance of the EES central system. It makes explicit references to the role of eu-LISA’s governing bodies in that context. A stable EES Central System is an important prerequisite for member states to fully deploy the Entry/Exit system by the end of the transition period.
This is also why, in their position, member states have stressed that the EES roll-out plan, which eu-LISA will have to provide, should confirm performance and availability targets of the Central System as well as a strategy to deal with possible defects.
Next steps
This general approach is the basis for negotiations with the European Parliament, which is still in the process of agreeing on its position. The two co-legislators need to find a common position in order to formally adopt the law.
Background
In October 2023, the Justice and Home Affairs Council endorsed plans to launch the EES at the end of 2024. As this deadline could not be met – and because of concerns that a full start of the system could constitute a risk factor for the resilience of the IT system – the Commission proposed a gradual start.
Because the EES regulation requires all member states to start using the EES fully and simultaneously, a new regulation was necessary to make a progressive start possible.
Once operational, the EES will allow the collection of biometric data, such as facial images and fingerprints, of third country nationals crossing the EU’s external borders. It will grant EU member states real-time access to third-country nationals’ personal data, travel history and information on whether they comply with the authorised period of stay in the Schengen area. As a result, the EES will significantly reduce the likelihood of identity fraud and overstay, strengthening the security of the Schengen area.
- IT systems to fight crime and secure EU borders (background information)
- Regulation as regards a progressive start of operations of the Entry/Exit System (general approach), 28 February 2025)