The Finnish Ministry of Interior has confirmed that the country is prepared for the rollout of the Entry/Exit System (EES).
Through an official statement, the Ministry said that the EES is expected to become operational during this year, and at the same time, suggested that Finland has completed all the preparatory steps necessary for the effective implementation of the new border system, Schengen.News reports.
According to the current estimate, the EES will begin operations in the EU during 2025. Finland is well prepared for the roll-out.
In addition to making such a statement regarding its preparedness, the Ministry also welcomed the proposal of the EU Commission to allow member states to roll out the system progressively.
Under the EU Commission’s proposal, the Schengen member countries will beagle to gradually phase in the new system. Member states will need to start operating the EES from day one, according to their capabilities.
They will begin with registering around ten per cent of those crossing the border and once a six-month period is over, they will need to reach full registration.
The Finnish Government welcomes the Commission’s proposal for the regulation and views positively the Member States’ option to achieve the EES objectives efficiently and within a reasonable time.
Entry/Exit System to Become Operational This Year
The EES was set to enter into force in the last quarter of 2024. However, due to some member states expressing their unpreparedness, the EU removed the November 10 launch date from the table.
Not long after the last postponement, the official EU website for the EES confirmed that the new border system of the bloc is due to start in 2025. However, no information about a more specific launch date has been given yet.
The EES is an automated border system that will replace passport stamping and whose aim is to modernise controls.
Once the EES enters into force, all non-EU nationals – both those who need and do not need a visa to enter the Schengen Area – will be required to register into the system by providing their biometric information and other personal details. This data will be stored in a database for a period of three years.
By introducing this new system, the member states will be able to keep track of all non-EU nationals entering and exiting their territory.
The aim of the system, among others, is to detect overstayers, prevent irregular migration, contribute to a smoother travel process, and identify individuals using fake identities.
