9 July 2024: Last week, ERA along with other 15 organisations, sent a letter to European decisionmakers regarding the forthcoming implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES) scheduled for Autumn 2024.

The letter stresses the lack of readiness by all Member States to start using such a system, and asks for urgent support from the Commission and national authorities.

In our letter, three main issues are highlighted for the implementation:

• The date of the start of operations: no date is established yet, but airports and airlines will need to know at least three months in advance, especially since there will be no transitional or flexibility period.
• The readiness at border control points: we need the Commission to provide clear guidance and support to Member States that are not ready yet.
• The impact on passenger experience: a public awareness campaign is needed to communicate with the passengers about the upcoming changes for them and ensure a transitional period of 12 to 18 moths after the start of operations to avoid any disruption.

Such issues must be challenged in order to ensure a smooth and safe experience for travellers entering the Schengen area at the time of launch.

The letter is attached (locked for members only).