A deputy director-general at the European Commission suggested Thursday that the bloc may implement further accommodations for its biometric Entry/Exit System, signaling potential relief from processing bottlenecks that have plagued major airports across Europe.
Since April, travelers from outside the EU have been required to provide fingerprints and facial scans when entering most European nations as part of the Entry/Exit System protocol. The biometric registration process has substantially lengthened processing times compared to the previous passport stamp method, resulting in queues lasting several hours at certain airports. Member states previously had temporary exemptions allowing them to waive the biometric requirement during periods of extreme congestion, but this emergency provision was not renewed and expired in September.
Maja Bakran Marcich, who holds the position of deputy director-general for mobility and transport at the European Commission, made her remarks at an industry conference in Dublin. The timing of her statement follows Brussels’s recent decision to decline extending member states’ temporary powers to streamline border checks. Her comments also came shortly after the airline and airport sectors renewed their appeals for the reinstatement of flexibility measures to address ongoing congestion.
The signals of potential accommodation suggest policymakers are considering pragmatic approaches to balance security requirements with operational efficiency at European ports of entry. Industry stakeholders have highlighted the tension between implementing comprehensive biometric security measures and maintaining acceptable passenger processing times during peak travel periods.
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