New EU Entry/Exit System Could Mean Hours-Long Delays for Holiday Travelers
Brussels, 15 June 2026 -As millions of Europeans and international visitors begin their summer holidays, the Consumer Choice Center is warning that the rollout of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) risks causing significant disruption for travelers.
The EES, which requires non-EU short-stay travelers to register biometric data when entering or leaving the Schengen Area, is intended to modernize border management and improve security. However, reports from transport operators and border authorities suggest that the system’s introduction could lead to severe delays at key crossing points, with some travelers being warned of waiting times of up to six hours.
Zoltán Kész, Government Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center stated:
“Consumers should not bear the cost of poor implementation, travelers don’t expect to spend hours in a line because authorities failed to prepare for a new system adequately. Long delays, missed connections, and uncertainty are not acceptable outcomes for consumers who simply want to reach their destination.”
While improving border security is a legitimate objective, the Consumer Choice Center stresses that policymakers must ensure that new regulatory requirements do not put an unnecessary burden on travelers. Families, tourists, business travelers, and passengers with tight connections are particularly vulnerable when border procedures become slower and less predictable.
The introduction of biometric registration is supposed to improve efficiency, not undermine it. Consumers deserve border processes that are secure, reliable, and proportionate, especially during peak travel periods when delays can have a ripple effect across transport networks and the tourism industry.
The Consumer Choice Center calls on EU institutions and national authorities to take immediate steps to minimize disruption by increasing staffing levels at major border crossings, providing temporary flexibility during the transition period, and most importantly, expanding accessible pre-registration tools that allow travelers to complete necessary procedures before arriving at the border.
“Technology should make travel faster and easier, not slower and harder,” concluded Kész. “If regulators want public confidence in digital border systems, they must demonstrate that these systems work for consumers rather than against them.”