Italy, Portugal Poised to Abandon New EU Border Rules Amid System Failures
Member states consider reverting to passport stamps as EES implementation falters, challenging unified border strategy.
Callum Smith
Italy and Portugal are considering abandoning new EU border regulations, following Greece's decision to scrap the Entry and Exit System (EES) for British tourists.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) mandates non-EU travelers provide biometric data at airports, a requirement now under review by multiple member states.
Tourists now enter both Italy and Portugal with only a passport stamp ahead of the May half-term holiday.
Beyond these nations, Greece already implemented this policy, allowing British visitors to bypass the EES requirements entirely.
Widespread non-compliance with the EES system challenges the EU's unified border strategy, a framework in development for years.
This digital system, designed to enhance border security and streamline entries, has faced implementation hurdles across the continent.
France, Portugal, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Germany have not ensured adequate staffing, system readiness, or kiosks.
Ryanair stated that France, Portugal, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Germany have not ensured adequate staffing, system readiness, or kiosks.
These nations knew the EES would be fully operational from April 10, 2026, yet preparation lagged significantly.
This failure to prepare prompted individual nations to consider reverting to older entry protocols, bypassing the new digital system.
The current situation echoes historical challenges in harmonizing border controls across the Schengen Area, a process that began with the Schengen Agreement in 1985.
Initial agreements eliminated internal border checks, but external border management consistently presented complex logistical and political obstacles.
Meanwhile, Spain, France, and Croatia could also follow suit in abandoning the new EU border checks, as issues with the border system persist.
Countries will not allow Greece to gain a trade advantage simply because it avoids EES delays at airports.
Seamus McCauley of Holiday Extras stated that countries will not allow Greece to gain a trade advantage simply because it avoids EES delays at airports.
Other tourist-dependent nations face economic pressure to maintain competitive entry processes, particularly for the lucrative British market.
The public faces potential travel disruptions and extended wait times if the EES system is implemented without sufficient infrastructure.
A return to passport stamping would alleviate immediate concerns for travelers, but it would also signal a fragmentation of the EU's border policy.
Ryanair, for its part, is introducing a new policy from November 10, a move that reflects adjustments to the evolving border landscape.
The airline's operational changes demonstrate the industry's response to the uncertainty surrounding the EES rollout, adapting to a fragmented regulatory environment.