The EU is moving towards the gradual introduction of biometric border controls
The European Union’s Biometric Entry and Exit System (EES) is to be phased in over the next 180 days, according to a report by the specialist portal Biometric Update, after the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee approved a draft recommending the phased implementation of the system.
The EES is designed to collect biometric data – particularly facial images and fingerprints – from persons entering the Schengen Area on a short-stay visa. The aim is to reduce entry violations and enable more precise control of travelers’ length of stay, claim the European authorities.
The introduction will not be nationwide, but in several phases: In the first 30 days, 10% of border crossings will be registered in the system, and within 90 days of launch, 35–50% will be registered. Member States are free to decide whether to implement the system completely or gradually.
In parallel, the EU Parliament plans to begin negotiations with the European Council on the final legislation this month (May 2025). The Council had already demanded in March that the system be available no later than six months after launch.
France, Germany, and the Netherlands have not yet declared their technical readiness for the implementation of the EES. France is currently updating its Parafe border control systems at airports and Eurotunnel terminals to exempt legal foreign residents from EES registration.
Switzerland – not a member of the EU but part of the Schengen Area – is also preparing to introduce biometric facial recognition at airports. Massimo Gentile, CTO of Geneva Airport, told broadcaster RTS that biometric check-ins are planned to replace passports and boarding passes in the future. However, the necessary legal basis in Switzerland is not expected until the end of 2026 at the earliest.
Geneva Airport already has the necessary infrastructure: Biometric hardware from SITA has been installed but has remained deactivated so far. Zurich Airport has already introduced facial recognition at customs and has been working on EES connectivity using Secunet technology since 2022.
yogaesoteric
May 15, 2025