EU entry/exit system delays risk €45.4 billion tourism spend

A senior official with the European Union's border agency has warned that significant delays for travelers from the United Kingdom and other non-EU countries entering the Schengen Area may not stabilize for up to two years. The warning comes as new research indicates that prolonged border queues linked to the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES) could jeopardize tens of billions of euros in tourism revenue.

Uku Sarekanno, deputy executive director of Frontex, told a travel industry summit in Westminster that the system's rollout is proving challenging for some member states. The EES, which was introduced in October 2025 and ramped up in April 2026, requires travelers from third countries to have their fingerprints and facial images taken upon first entry into the 29-nation Schengen Area. The digital record is kept for three years, allowing for faster processing on subsequent trips.

Airports in Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy have been among the worst affected, with industry experts warning that queues could reach six hours during peak periods this summer. In one incident in April, more than 100 easyJet passengers missed a flight from Milan to Manchester due to delays at passport...