EU EES reaches 60 million entries

The European Commission said on April 10 that the EU’s Entry/Exit System, or EES, had become fully operational across all Schengen countries, replacing passport stamps with digital records for non-EU nationals on short stays. The system records a traveller’s name, travel document details, fingerprints, facial image, and the date and place of entry or exit, according to the Commission. By April 10, the Commission said, the rollout had already logged more than 52 million entries and exits and more than 27,000 refusals of entry. A separate March 30 Commission update had put the earlier total at more than 45 million border crossings during the phased launch that began on October 12, 2025. ### So what is the 60 million figure, and is it official? Travel And Tour World reported on May 19 that EES had tracked 60 million entries, but the European Commission pages available on Tuesday did not show that number. The latest official Commission figure surfaced in the material reviewed was “more than 52 million entries and exits” as of April 10, not 60 million entries alone. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) The distinction matters because the Commission’s wording combines entries and exits in one tally. Based on the official pages, it is not possible to independently confirm from EU sources reviewed Tuesday that EES had reached 60 million entries by May 19; that number may reflect a later update or a different counting method, but that would be an inference rather than a verified official figure. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) ### Who does EES apply to at the border? The European Commission says EES applies to non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay in 29 European countries using the system. It replaces manual passport stamping and records entries, exits and refusals of entry at external borders. The Commission says the system is designed to detect overstayers automatically and make identity fraud easier to spot through biometric checks. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) On March 30, it cited a case in Romania in which biometric collection showed that one traveller was using two identities and had previously been denied entry three times by different member states. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) ### Why did the EU phase it in instead of switching all at once? The Council of the European Union said a new regulation was needed to allow a progressive start because the original 2017 law required all member states to start using EES fully and simultaneously. The Council said the gradual launch was meant to support a smooth rollout and reduce risks to the resilience of the IT system. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) The Commission says it proposed that progressive start on December 4, 2024. The final regulation allowing temporary derogations for the phased launch was adopted on July 18, 2025, entered into force on July 26, 2025, and the Commission then set October 12, 2025 as the launch date. Full operation followed on April 10, 2026. (consilium.europa.eu) ### What comes next for travellers after EES? The Council and the EU’s official ETIAS site say the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, or ETIAS, will start operations in the last quarter of 2026. ETIAS is a separate pre-travel authorisation requirement for visa-exempt travellers entering 30 European countries, and the EU says no action is required from travellers yet. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) The Commission says ETIAS is not yet in operation and applications are not being collected. The EU says it will announce the specific start date several months before launch, with applications to be made through an official website or mobile app once the system goes live. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) (consilium.europa.eu)