EU to delay new electronic border checks

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The EU will delay the start of its new electronic border system, said two people briefed on the discussions, after Germany, France and the Netherlands warned that the bloc’s computer systems were not ready.

The three countries had asked the European Commission to rethink plans to launch the “Entry/Exit System” in a month’s time because of fears that travel would be disrupted and the computer systems overwhelmed.

Germany, France and the Netherlands account for 40 per cent of passenger traffic affected by the new system, and the commission could not proceed with its plans — which had already been delayed several times — without their consent.

At a meeting of EU home affairs ministers on Thursday, home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson told ministers that the start date of November 10 was not feasible, and that the commission would consider a later date, according to two officials familiar with the situation.

The commission also proposed to introduce the system in phases, rather than all at once, said four officials briefed on the talks.

“The commission asked the [council of ministers] to agree to a phased approach. France, Germany and the Netherlands agreed, and the [Hungarian] EU presidency indicated that would be a good way forward. On the basis of that, the commission can now continue to work internally on a solution,” one EU diplomat said.

Airports and airlines have also warned of queues at immigration, as the new system will require non-EU citizens to register their personal details, including fingerprints and facial images, when they first visit the bloc.

The officials said the commission would have to propose a legal change to make the phased-in approach possible, as the current legislation foresees introducing the new biometric border checks everywhere at once.

A targeted change to the legislation would require the EU Council and the European parliament to agree, which could take months. Another option could be for the commission to issue a so-called implementing act to facilitate a gradual start, the officials said.

The legal steps and potential new start date will be discussed next week at a meeting of the managing board of EU-Lisa, the EU agency charged with implementing the new system, the officials said.

Two officials said the delay to the November date meant it was possible that the new system could begin next year.

Germany’s interior ministry last month said the central computer system of EU-Lisa “still lacks the necessary stability and functionality” and therefore the required tests could not be carried out.

The European Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.