An EU Entry-Exit System has been proposed by the Commission on Schengen area's external borders.The new entry and exit system will automatically register the name, type of travel document and biometrics will also be put forward. This would create “smarter borders” and replace the current system of manual stamping of passports.Dimitris Avramopoulos, European Commissioner on Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship presented a proposal to create an “EU Entry-Exit System” (EES) , in order to improve the EC's external border management and better monitor over-stayers.The revised proposal from 2013 was then estimated to cost €1.1 billion. Operational costs per year are estimated at €480 million.”Crossing an EU border will never be the same again. It will be automated and will be done through self service kiosks and electronic gates”, suggested Avramopoulos. “Guards will stop stamping passports because they will be replaced by smart and quick electronic processors”, visualized the Commissioner. “Queues for non-EU crossers will be smaller and travelers will have clear information on how long they can stay to EU. Authorities will have top information regarding nationals who need visas or not”.The European Commission also plans to put biometrics at the centre of a bid to reform the EU's common asylum system.The volume and concentration of arrivals of refugees over the past year has exposed the weaknesses of the current Dublin System, which determines where asylum applications should be made, the EC stated on Wednesday.”It's clear that the system, as it stands today, isn't functioning. It's not working. We need to share the responsibility, reduce 'asylum shopping' and sanction secondary movements,” Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said.A new system using biometrics which would be called 'Dublin Plus', said the Commission's First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, will add “fairness” to the system.Note: Issues surrounding document fraud at the border are being addressed by Monica Gariup, Coordinating Officer, Air Border Sector, Joint Operations Unit Operations Division, FRONTEX, at the SDW 2016 on 10-12 May 2016,QEII Centre, Westminster, London, UK. See here for further details.
EC reveals plans for biometric entry-exit system
