Member States, the European Commission, Frontex and eu-LISA have taken stock of the progressive operation of the Entry/Exit System (EES), and turn their sights on the launch of ETIAS by the end of 2026.
The momentum behind the EES entry and engagement from national authorities has been strong since the crucial date of 12 October 2025, said the EU Commission. EES registrations are increasing. Countries have taken different approaches to rolling out the EES across the Schengen Area, but the emphasis is on every country being fully cooperative and pushing a stable increase in the registrations, as part of the plans to ramp-up the border control procedures.
Each country has up to 180 days to complete implementation across air, sea and land borders.
According to eu-LISA, operations during the early deployment phase have remained stable. The Agency continues to provide reinforced monitoring, operational guidance and on-site support.
A major focus of the meeting, says Eu-LISA, was the readiness of transport carriers, who will assume new obligations under the EES regime once the roll-out is complete. Starting in April 2026, airlines, maritime operators and coach companies will be required to verify, before departure, whether travellers holding short-stay visas have already used their allowed number of entries.
With EES now operational in most Member States, attention is shifting toward the rollout of ETIAS and preparing a compliance testing campaign running until March 2026. To date, 21 Member States and EU agencies have completed portions of the required tests, with end-to-end business testing expected to begin in December under Frontex coordination.
Member States have also reached agreement on key workflow elements required under the ETIAS Screening Regulation. Meanwhile, eu-LISA is developing new digital support tools for travellers and carriers, including an AI-powered chatbot aimed at improving user experience.
The EES-ETIAS Advisory Group review confirms the progressive roll-out is steady, making this a critical moment for integration. Identity Week Europe is hosting definitive sessions on the EES AND ETIAS track with representatives from FRONTEX and global law enforcement discussing strategic solutions required to navigate this new era of interoperable borders and secure travel.
Source:
