Italy Activates EU Entry/Exit System: Biometric Checks Replace Passport Stamps at All Borders
Schengen Entry/Exit System Goes Live: Digital Checks Now Mandatory at Belgian Borders
Nation-Wide Lufthansa Cabin-Crew Strike Grounds Hundreds of Flights Across Germany
Latest News
Home Office begins removal of residency rights for absent EU citizens
The Home Office has confirmed it will start revoking the post-Brexit residency rights of EU citizens whose travel records show extended absences from the UK. Rights groups warn that inaccurate data could see lawful residents lose the right to live and work overnight, while employers face new compliance risks around right-to-work checks.
Fuel-price protests snarl Ireland’s transport arteries; Government puts army on standby
A nationwide fuel-price protest on 10 April blocked key Irish motorways and threatened fuel supplies, prompting the Government to place the army on standby. The disruption is causing missed flights, diverted public transport and potential jet-fuel shortages, presenting immediate duty-of-care and routing challenges for multinationals.
Poland Launches EU Biometric Entry/Exit System at All Border Crossings
Poland confirmed that the EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System is live at all 71 crossings from 10 April 2026. Third-country travellers must enrol fingerprints and a facial image; passport stamping ends. The change will lengthen first-time processing but is expected to streamline future trips and tighten enforcement of stay limits—key information for mobility managers sending staff to Poland or across Schengen.
Four-Hour Air-Traffic-Control Strike Hits Italian Skies, With Protection Slots Only
ENAV air-traffic-control staff are on strike from 13:00-17:00 on 10 April, forcing airlines to cancel or retime scores of flights. Guaranteed slots in the early morning and evening remain, but ripple effects are expected at Rome, Milan and Naples hubs. The stop comes on the same day Italy launches full biometric border checks, compounding potential delays for business travellers.
Parliamentary package overhauls Austria’s asylum, residence and work-permit rules
Bills introduced to parliament on 10 April would align Austrian asylum, residence and labour laws with the EU Migration Pact, adding mandatory border-screening, stricter family-reunification quotas and faster single-permit processing. Corporate mobility teams must prepare for new timelines and eligibility criteria.
Technical glitches cloud first full day of EU Entry/Exit System, adding new checks for British travellers
The EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System went live on 10 April but suffered technical problems, forcing manual checks at Dover, Folkestone and St Pancras. UK travellers now face extra fingerprint and photo registrations and potential queues, while companies must factor the new rule into duty-of-care and 90/180-day tracking.
EU’s Entry/Exit System Goes Live: France Braces for First-Day Queues
France activated the EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System at all external borders on 10 April 2026. While intended to tighten overstay controls, the first hours saw queues of up to 90 minutes at Paris-CDG. Businesses are warning of productivity losses and advising travellers to build in extra time.
Commission Reveals 7,000 Refusals Since Biometric Borders Pilot—Belgium Braces for More Post-Launch Scrutiny
Brussels released pilot-phase figures showing 7,000 refusals and 700 security alerts generated by the new Entry/Exit System. The numbers highlight the system’s ability to detect overstays and watch-list matches automatically, signalling heightened compliance risks for Belgian employers who rotate non-EU staff through short-term assignments.
Emirates adjusts flights to 100+ cities as Gulf airspace restrictions persist
Emirates has trimmed or retimed services to more than 100 destinations because restricted Gulf airspace is forcing longer routings. The airline has re-opened flexible rebooking and refund options and warns passengers not to head to the airport without confirmation. The move tightens corporate-travel capacity and could raise air-freight rates through Dubai.
Austria switches on the EU Entry/Exit System at all airports
Austrian airports activated the EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System nationwide on 10 April 2026. All third-country passengers are now registered digitally, ending manual passport stamping. The change should boost security and curb overstays, but companies should plan for slightly longer clearance times in the short term.
Switzerland Completes Roll-out of EU Entry/Exit System at All Borders
Switzerland switched on the EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System nationwide today, replacing manual passport stamps with a real-time digital register of border crossings. The change increases detection of Schengen overstays and lengthens first-time processing, forcing companies to update travel-day tracking and build extra buffer time into itineraries. Airports may suspend the checks if queues grow too long, but Swiss authorities say the new system is critical to both security and future ETIAS automation.
Visa-Free Policies Spur Inbound Tourism Boom Across China
China’s new visa-free and 240-hour transit-without-visa regimes are fuelling a double-digit rebound in foreign arrivals, with visitors venturing well beyond Beijing and Shanghai into smaller cultural hubs. The shift is creating fresh opportunities for corporate events and client visits but also requires HR teams to distinguish clearly between visa-free tourism and work authorisation.
EU Biometric Entry/Exit System Goes Fully Live—Germany Called ‘Model Student’
The EU’s long-awaited biometric Entry/Exit System became fully operational on 10 April 2026, replacing passport stamps for all non-EU visitors. Germany leads the implementation league, processing entries in half the EU-average time and already denying more than 2,000 inadmissible travellers. Businesses must now monitor staff Schengen days meticulously and prepare for temporary queue build-ups as the system beds in.
Spain switches on EU Entry/Exit System, ending passport stamps for all non-EU travellers
From 10 April 2026 Spain no longer stamps passports: all non-EU arrivals and departures are now recorded electronically under the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES). Travellers give fingerprints and a facial image the first time they enter; subsequent crossings are automated. The upgrade gives companies accurate day-counts, but HR and travel managers are being told to expect teething-queue delays during the first weeks.
EU Entry/Exit System Goes Live: Finland Braces for the Digital Border Era
Finland activated the EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System on 10 April 2026, replacing passport stamps with digital records. The change lengthens first-time processing, obliges carriers to verify travellers’ remaining Schengen days and forces companies to adjust travel policies. Exemptions apply to Finnish residents and D-visa holders, but mobile workers and tourists must enrol fingerprints and a facial image at their first crossing.
Dublin Airport urges passengers to use alternative routes as M50 blockade intensifies
Dublin Airport warned passengers on 10 April to expect major delays after fuel-price protesters blocked key M50 junctions, forcing some travellers to walk to terminals. The disruption threatens afternoon flight schedules and highlights the airport’s dependence on a single motorway for surface access.