EU Border System Delays May Take Two Years to Stabilise, Official Warns

Travellers heading to Europe face a prolonged period of border disruption as officials admit the EU's new Entry/Exit System could take up to two years to bed in.

A senior official has warned that queues and delays caused by the European Union's new Entry/Exit System — known as EES — may not stabilise for up to two years after the system launches. It is one of the most candid and concerning admissions yet from within the programme's oversight, and it fundamentally changes how travellers should think about visiting Europe in the coming years. For UK holidaymakers, who already face a more complex border process following Brexit, the warning carries particular weight.

The EES is a new automated border control programme that replaces the previous manual passport stamping process for non-EU nationals entering the Schengen Area. Under the new system, travellers will be required to register biometric data — including fingerprints and a facial scan — at the border on their first entry within any 180 days. The data is stored digitally and checked on subsequent entries, with the system designed to give EU border authorities a more accurate and reliable record of who is entering and exiting the zone. While the long-term ambition is a faster, more secure border experience, the transition period is now expected to be significantly disruptive.

For UK nationals, the introduction of EES represents a meaningful shift in the day-to-day reality of travelling to Europe. Since Brexit, British citizens are treated as third-country nationals under EU law — meaning they are no longer eligible to use EU e-gates at most Schengen entry points. Every UK traveller entering the Schengen Area will need to complete the biometric registration process in person at a staffed border booth. With the UK being one of the largest sources of visitors to popular Schengen destinations, the volume of British passengers requiring first-time registration is expected to place considerable pressure on border infrastructure from the outset.

The two-year stabilisation timeline is particularly alarming when set against the backdrop of peak holiday travel. Summer months, when airports and border crossings are already operating at or near capacity, are expected to see the most acute delays. Major entry points serving high volumes of UK passengers — including airports across Spain, France, Greece, and Portugal — face the heaviest burden of first-time registrations. Cross-Channel routes via Eurostar, ferry services, and the Channel Tunnel are also expected to come under significant pressure, with the physical constraints of some crossings limiting the options available for managing longer queues.

Building extra time into any travel itinerary is now essential. Travellers should expect staffed booth queues rather than e-gate access, monitor guidance from their departure point and destination airport, and stay alert to any official announcements on the confirmed launch date.

For expert advice on travelling to Europe during the EES rollout, speak to the team at Crystal Travel today.​​​​​​​