Four months after the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) went live, Euronews’ 22 July report shows tangible impacts at Italian and other Schengen border points. Based on fresh YouGov data, 36 % of UK travellers entering the bloc have already had to queue for biometric capture, while 30 % reported longer passport lines. Yet 64 % still intend to travel to Europe in the next 12 months, simply allowing more time. Italy—one of the first member states to complete EES kiosks at all major airports—has experienced peak-season bottlenecks at Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa, where processing a family of four non-EU visitors can now take up to 12 minutes versus the pre-EES average of four. The Italian Civil Aviation Authority and border police have temporarily switched some desks back to manual stamping during heavy arrival waves, invoking the Commission’s 1 July guidance that allows suspension of biometric capture in “exceptionally high-pressure” situations. For corporate mobility teams, the key takeaway is to pad itineraries: allow at least 45 minutes extra for non-EU employees entering Italy until passenger flows stabilise. Companies should also update travel-policy language to reflect that fingerprints and facial images will be stored for three years and may be reused on subsequent trips, reducing processing times for repeat travellers. The EES is a precursor to the ETIAS electronic travel authorisation, now slated for mid-2027. HR and Global Mobility managers should educate staff about data-privacy aspects, especially when moving sensitive equipment; the system automatically flags overstays, which can jeopardise Schengen-visa records and future work-permit applications. Italian airports plan to double the number of self-service kiosks by Easter 2027, but technology readiness remains uneven at land borders with Slovenia and France. Logistics operators moving drivers on CMR carnets are advised to check whether dedicated freight lanes support biometric capture, to avoid mixing with tourist traffic.
Source: Euronews
