France has hailed the European Union’s entry-exit system (EES) as a success despite mounting frustration from airport operators and holidaymakers over lengthy delays. The French Ministry of the Interior told reporters that the biometric border control has “already proven its worth” since its phased rollout concluded on 10 April, with more than 110 million crossings recorded and over 44,000 refusals of entry notified.
Among those refused, at least 1,100 were flagged as “concerning individuals” who posed a threat to internal security, according to a ministry spokesperson. The system, which requires non-EU travellers — including British passport holders — to provide fingerprints and a photograph on entry to the Schengen area, is designed to detect irregular stays and improve security across member states.
Despite these claims, passengers at several European airports have faced queues of up to six hours during peak travel periods. Airport bosses had called for the system to be scrapped this summer, but France insists it has avoided “any major congestion” at its own ports, airports and railway stations by using flexibility within EU rules. The government has deployed 350 additional staff to manage the rollout and is developing a remote pre-registration app to speed up border processing.
France, along with Germany, Italy and six other member states, has written a joint letter to the European Commission asking for temporary emergency safeguards to remain in place beyond the 6 September deadline. The Ministry of the Interior added that “everyone has been able to see on the ground that everything is being done to limit congestion” and promised a “gradual and controlled increase” in the use of self-service kiosks over the summer.
For British travellers, the practical implications are clear: expect longer waits at Schengen border points, particularly at airports with high volumes of UK arrivals. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCO) currently advises checking the latest entry requirements for each EU country before travel. Travel insurance policies should be reviewed to ensure they cover delays caused by border processing issues, and travellers are advised to allow extra time for connections. No visa is required for short stays in the Schengen area, but biometric registration is now mandatory for all non-EU nationals.