Travellers entering the European Union may face longer border queues as temporary flexibility measures for the EU’s new entry-exit system (EES) have officially ended. The EES is a digital system designed to track the entry and exit of non-EU citizens by collecting biometric data, such as fingerprints. The deadline for these temporary rules, which allowed some discretion in enforcing the system, passed on 6 September. While some European countries have indicated they will not enforce biometric checks immediately, the aviation and travel industries are closely watching the situation. They believe the relaxation of rules during the peak summer travel season helped avoid the long delays seen earlier in the year, which had caused some passengers to miss flights. In France, the implementation of EES has been delayed due to technical issues with the system. The French government commissioned the software, but it is not yet fully functional. As a result, cross-Channel travellers to France will not face immediate changes in border checks. Fingerprinting kiosks at key locations like the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel, and Eurostar’s London St Pancras station are still not working. Eurotunnel and Eurostar have said they are prepared to start full biometric checks once the French authorities give the go-ahead. For now, border officers are manually handling EES enrollments. Industry representatives have expressed concerns about the readiness of the EES across the EU. A senior airline source said while they are monitoring the situation, they do not expect full enforcement of the system at Europe’s busiest airports. In some popular tourist destinations, such as Greece, border officials have unofficially exempted UK passengers from EES checks to prevent long lines. The UK travel trade body Abta is continuing to push the European Commission to allow more flexibility beyond September, noting that the EES is not yet fully operational in all member states. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for an official extension of the flexibility period, citing the impact of EES-related delays on passengers. IATA’s Thomas Reynaert said the delays have caused passengers to miss flights and connections, damaging Europe’s reputation and increasing costs for airlines. The European Commission has not provided further comment but said it is working closely with member states that need extra time to adjust their systems. A spokesperson noted that the commission is ready to support these countries during the transition period.