Rome’s airport authority has raised concerns about implementing the European Union’s new Entry-Exit System (EES) for non-EU citizens during the upcoming summer travel period. Marco Troncone, chief executive of Aeroporti di Roma, which manages the city’s major airports, stated that suspending the biometric system would be necessary to prevent operational disruptions when passenger volumes peak.
The EES requires non-EU visitors, including British nationals, to provide fingerprints and facial biometric data upon their first entry into the EU. The system was initially introduced last October and underwent a full rollout in mid-April following previous delays caused by technical issues. According to Troncone, the infrastructure cannot accommodate the expected passenger surge while simultaneously processing biometric enrollments at full capacity.
Airport operations across Europe have already experienced significant challenges during implementation. British travelers have encountered substantial delays at various EU airports, and French authorities temporarily suspended biometric checks at the Dover port crossing in May. Greece previously indicated it would exempt UK passengers from the biometric requirements through September but reversed that position. Additionally, returning passengers who should bypass the system due to previous enrollment have been required to repeat the biometric process.
Industry representatives have pressed for policy flexibility. Stefan Schulte, president of ACI Europe, a trade association representing European airports, emphasized that individual EU member states—rather than airport operators—hold authority over system suspension decisions. The European Commission has acknowledged that the system contains “built-in flexibility” allowing certain functions to be temporarily disabled. International Air Transport Association projections indicate queue times could extend to six hours at certain airports during peak summer travel, with waits exceeding three hours already recorded during busy periods. Frontex, the EU border agency, indicated the situation may require approximately two years to stabilize.
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