ETIAS and EES: The Future of Europe’s Border Controls
Last year, Europe was the region with the highest number of international tourists around the world. According to the same study, some 707 million tourists visited Europe in 2023. The continent’s booming tourism industry is a key driver of regional economies, particularly in France, Spain, and Italy where millions flock to each year. As Europe’s tourism industry continues to grow, so does its need for updated security and border control systems. The European Union is set to launch two new major border management systems that will affect travel into Europe: the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and the Entry/Exit Systems (EES). According to the European Commission, both initiatives “aim to strengthen European security and security of those who travel.” These new policies are aimed at both improving security and facilitating smoother movement across borders, while also addressing the growing challenges posed by increased international travel.
ETIAS is a new requirement for those that do not need a visa to enter into Europe for a short stay, including travel to the 27 Schengen countries plus Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania. ETIAS is aimed at the nationals of around 60 non-EU countries that were exempt from short-stay visas when visiting the enlarged Schengen Area. This includes citizens of major tourist-origin countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, and more (see the full list here). Before travelling to Europe, tourists from these countries will have to apply for travel authorisation and pay the €7 application fee.
ETIAS is comparable to the U.S. ESTA system, but it comes with some distinctions. For instance, ETIAS authorisations will be valid for three years or until their passport expires, which is longer than ESTA’s two-year validity period. In addition, ETIAS authorisations are free for travellers under the age of 18 or over the age of 70, which could help maintain Europe’s appeal to family and elderly tourists.
In tandem with ETIAS, the EES is designed to streamline border crossings by replacing the traditional manual stamping of passports with a digital registration system. The EES will register all travellers entering Europe for short stays on its own–no action needs to be taken by tourists before their trip. Registration into EES will be done at the external border of the countries taking part in the system. Essentially, EES replaces the manual stamping of passports and instead, will collect traveller’s facial image and fingerprints and other travel document data, such as where and when the traveller has entered and exited the country.
While EES requires no pre-travel action from tourists, its implementation at border checkpoints may cause delays, especially during peak travel seasons. Biometric checks could take up to four times longer than the current system, according to some estimates. In January 2024, British Parliament’s European Scrutiny Committee was told that there could be 14-hour queues at certain border points, a “reasonable worst case” scenario if the new scheme had been enacted this October.
Both ETIAS and EES were originally scheduled to roll out in 2021. However, the agency responsible for the system’s execution (the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice) has repeatedly pushed back its start date as the central database was not yet ready. As of August, EU’s Home Affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson announced that EES was set to proceed on 10 November 2024 with ETIAS following a few months later. However, in October, the EU revealed both programs were being postponed as logistical and infrastructural readiness continues to pose challenges. Many are concerned with the timing; rolling the programs out over Christmas and New Year’s will increase delays and the summer high-season is for sure ruled out. According to a source from the Independent, it “will almost certainly be well into 2025” until we see these policies take effect. Such postponements highlight the complexity of introducing wide-scale tech systems across such a large region.
The new border management systems have sparked mixed reactions across the tourism industry. Some travellers are apprehensive about potential disruptions as initial hiccups during implementation could create bottlenecks, especially during the early months of operation.
For European destinations, these changes come at a crucial time. In 2023, Rome set a record with an estimated 35 million visitors. With the Jubilee—a major Catholic event that takes place every 25 years—scheduled for 2025, Rome anticipates an even higher number of visitors. France is set to remain the most visited country in the world in 2025 and Spain’s tourism is set to increase by 5% next year. These policies come in the context of the concerns of European overtourism. Locals are getting upset. In Barcelona over the summer, a demonstration was held in which people took to the streets to protest mass tourism. Some, reportedly, even sprayed tourists with water as they drank coffee or ate lunch. Popular neighbourhoods like La Rambla and Parc Guell have also featured graffiti with the words “Tourists go home.” The overlap between the Jubilee and increased European tourism in addition to the rollout of ETIAS and EES could present further logistical challenges for popular tourist destinations.
As a tourist, these changes may mean adjusting to new requirements and possible delays at customs and border security. Nevertheless, in the longer term, the eventual rollout of ETIAS and EES represents a shift towards a more digitised security approach in Europe that includes the usage of biometric data. These systems, while not without challenges, aim to safeguard the region’s borders and enhance the safety and efficiency of travel within the expanded Schengen Zone.
Image generated using ChatGPT from the prompt ‘Generate an image that shows border security measures for entrance into the EU, prominently featuring the EU flag’.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the wider St. Andrews Foreign Affairs Review team.
