Back in August, we wrote that a bunch of countries were going to end passport stamps in November of this year. Happily for those who “collect” passport stamps, it looks like there will be a reprieve since it was recently announced that the rollout has been delayed for an indeterminate amount of time.
A change of plans
The European Union (EU) had plans to switch on its new electronic Entry/Exit System (EES) on Sunday, Nov. 10. The “automated IT system” would collect biometric data of people from non-EU countries every time they entered or exited the Schengen area (the collection of 29 countries in the EU that have mutually abolished border controls). The new system aimed to increase security and avoid visitors staying longer than their visa or visa waivers allowed.
And once that happened, it would end the stamp requirement for most tourists.
However, according to the BBC, after a meeting of EU home affairs ministers in Luxembourg last week, the November 10th date has officially been abandoned, reportedly “after Germany, France and the Netherlands said their systems were not ready.”
“It’s clear that we’re not going to be ready for the 10 November” EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told reporters, saying that the date was, “no longer on the table.”
“I hope that we can start as soon as possible, but there is no new timeline so far. This also depends on the legal assessment that we will do and that we are working on right now,” she added.
Whoops
For what it’s worth, much like other big government rollouts, such as ETIAS, Real ID, etc., this isn’t the first time the EES has been delayed; it was originally going to go “live” in 2022. Whomp whomp.
When will it start?
There’s no set date at this time.
Johansson suggested that the EU will consider a more “phased approach, step by step,” but “not a big bang” rollout across the Schengen area simultaneously.
Does this affect other systems?
Potentially, yes.
The introduction of the EES would be followed by the implementation of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) – that’s the one which will require visitors from visa-free countries to register and pay a €7 fee before traveling to the Schengen Area (similar to the ESTA that the US has in place for visitors). So EES’s start may affect the start of EIAS (which, again, is also on hold at the moment).
But for now, keep filling those passports with stamps!
H/T: USA Today
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