Story thread · 4 reports / 4 sources

EU lets 9 Schengen countries delay full EES biometric checks

biometricupdate.com · 17hShare

The European Union has allowed at least nine Schengen countries to postpone full enforcement of its new Entry/Exit System (EES). France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Switzerland been given flexibility to suspend biometric collection in order to “maintain border fluidity.” Although Brussels previously insisted there would be no extension to the grace period that expired on September 6, the countries have reportedly been given informal approval to continue using the flexibility, without setting a new deadline. The move follows lobbying from governments and carriers, including the UK and Ryanair, which urged the EU to extend suspension options until next spring. In some member states, such as Sweden and Portugal, travellers can pre-register biometric data via apps linked to the central portal. But uneven deployment and system “plumbing” errors have undermined the rollout. The EU Commission declined to comment, but industry leaders believe the climb

First report: Major EES update for 9 UK tourist hotspots including Portugal — mirror.co.uk, 1d