The twenty-seven European Union (EU) member states reached an agreement yesterday on the gradual launch of automated border control, which is supposed to replace the manual stamping of passports.
The new system will record in a joint file the names, passport numbers, fingerprints, and photos of all third-country nationals coming to Europe for a short stay.
The introduction of this system has been discussed since 2017, but it still encounters reluctance from some airlines, which fear that this will prolong queues and waiting times at airports.
The launch of the system has been postponed several times and will be implemented in phases once the agreement is adopted in the European Parliament.
“We are aiming for the month of October,” said Polish Minister of Internal Affairs Tomasz Siemoniak yesterday, whose country currently holds the EU presidency.
EU member states are being offered flexibility regarding the introduction of this border control system.
