Airline and airport organisations A4E, IATA, ERA and ACI Europe have issued a joint statement welcoming the decision to postpone the implementation of the European Union’s Entry Exit System (EES).
An automated IT system for registering travellers from third countries, including the UK, the EES was due to launch in May 2023 but has since been pushed to late 2023 due to contractor delays.
In a joint statement the organisations said the EES will be a “game changer” for the EU’s borders but that “a number of issues” must still be resolved to ensure a smooth roll out and operation of the new system.
The issues, according to the organisations, include:
- Wider adoption and effective implementation of automation at national border crossing points by national authorities.
- Funding by EU member states to ensure a sufficient number of trained staff and resources, particularly at airports.
- Deployment of sufficient resources to support the implementation of new procedures by airports and airlines.
- The need for a public communications campaign to alert third-country nationals to the new requirements.
The organisations stated: “The aviation industry is fully behind the roll out of EES and is committed to working with the EU and national authorities for a successful implementation. But it is important that the EU and national authorities address industry concerns and provide efficient co-ordination for effective implementation."
The joint statement continued: “Postponing implementation until after the busy 2023 summer period will give airlines, airports and EU and national authorities the opportunity to resolve these issues and ensure the system is fully tested.”
The organisations also advised that EU-LISA, the agency responsible for managing the EES system, strengthen its communications with the industry, including international partners such as the US, to ensure IT systems are “connected and compatible”.
“A new start date for EES should be set to ensure continued smooth aviation operations and in particular trouble-free processing of passengers at airports,” said the statement.