Ees system, air transport associations call for Piantedosi to stop

Only a few days after the entry into force in its entirety, the New EU system for registering passengers entering and leaving the Schengen area is already in crisis. The files of up to four hours registered in some European countries and in Italia at passport control counters are alarming the associations of European air traffic operators in view of the summer, when millions of passengers will arrive in Europe for their holidays. In Portugal and Italia, for example, since the system came into force on 10 April, queues at airport controls have reached peaks of over three hours, and in Belgium over four hours.

The system, which came into force on 10 October last year, had a gradual implementation in the following months, until its full adoption as of 10 April last year: with the abolition of the stamp on the passport, passengers have to fill out a questionnaire in front of the border police for registration and for the opening of a file against them, in addition to the collection of biometric data (facial and fingerprints).

A process that takes time to complete and that, despite the flexibility already provided for by the European regulation, which does not exclude the suspension of the collection of passengers' biometric data for 90 days, extendable for a further 60 days, does not currently seem sufficient to avoid long queues.

In recent days, the European associations of airports and airlines have raised the issue with the European Commission, which must decide for the Member States to temporarily suspend the system of registration and collection of biometric data in order to return to the traditional stamp in passports.

In support of this request, the Italian air transport associations Assaeroporti, Aeroporti 2030, Iata, Ibar and Aicalf also wrote to the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, to urge urgent action on the European front to review the Entry/Exit System and to speak up for the requests of Italian representatives.