A grace period that gave EU Member States the flexibility to pause the new Entry/Exit system (EES) comes to end on Monday, September 7th, meaning the biometric border checks should in theory be fully implemented from then on.
However, comments from the European Commission, combined with repeated technical difficulties causing delays, suggest that not all border points will be ready for full implementation.
EES, which records each entry and exit to the Schengen area of non-EU short-term visitors, has been gradually introduced since 12th October 2025 and according to the European Commission "fully operational" since 10th April 2026 - although in reality it has not been fully rolled out everywhere, notably at the juxtaposed border points between the UK and France.
EU member states were also allowed to pause the checks over the summer peak season to avoid long queues.
But the end of that flexibility period on Monday has raised the prospect of travel disruption this autumn.
There are concerns the there will be the kind of problems seen at certain airports in April, when the system was hit by delays and disruption, when it first became "fully operational".
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Several reports in the UK media, notably The Times, which states 'queues expected as checks fully enforced', suggest that the full implementation of EES checks will cause travel delays from September 7th.
However, comments from the European Commission suggest that the deadline might not be as concrete as media reports make it appear, nor that EES will be 'fully' implemented in all Member States from September 7th.
In a press conference on September 1st, a Commission spokesman hinted that the 7th September deadline doesn't necessarily mean flexibility ends completely across the bloc, rather that it is the end of the extension period for most countries.
Addressing a question from journalists on the flexibility period specifically, a spokesperson said: "For the summer and and including until the 6th of September, we have the possibility to temporarily suspend the registration of biometrics in case of exceptional circumstances."
"When it comes to the time after the summer, we are in close and constructive contact with those few Member States where some adjustments are needed at certain border crossing points," he added.
Crucially, the spokesman referred to a further adjustment period possibly being needed by some countries: "And during an additional period of operational adjustment that is needed at these few operational border crossing points, the Commission stands ready to provide additional support to these Member States.
This support could include, for example, operational assistance and the deployment of additional Frontex officers, he added.
However, in a later follow-up question, he suggested that the full implementation, without flexibility periods, may take until the end of the year:
"We have offered additional help to the Member States concerned and asked them to further intensify their operational preparedness, including the necessary technical, organisational and communication measures, with a view to ensuring that the remaining challenges are fully addressed by the end of the year."
The Local has contacted the European Commission for clarification.
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