The completion of the phased implementation of the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) has been postponed until September 2026. The European Commission has approved the change due to concerns that the original timetable would cause severe disruption at airports and other border points during the summer season.
The Entry/Exit System
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is a new border management system that will digitally register the data of non-EU citizens every time they enter and exit external Schengen borders. It will replace the physical stamping of passports at passport control. The EES will impact short-term travelers to Europe, collecting information for both visa and visa-free nationals, whether they are travelling for business or tourism.
The European Travel Information and Authorization System
The implementation of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) is expected to follow in the last quarter of 2026. ETIAS is a digital pre-travel authorization for visa-free nationals travelling to the Schengen Area and Cyprus, similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) used in the USA. Once operational, ETIAS will be a requirement for individuals who do not need a visa to travel to the Schengen Area as well as to Cyprus.
The EES was due to be fully operational across all participating countries by 10 April 2026, following a phased rollout that began in October 2025. However, the implementation process has not been smooth, with airport and port infrastructure not yet ready to process all travellers, resulting in long queuing times in certain border controls.
Member States will now be permitted to adopt flexibilities, including partially suspending EES operations during the peak summer period, up until early September 2026.
Due to the interconnectivity between EES and the upcoming ETIAS, further delays to the go-live for ETIAS may be expected.
These changes are likely to impact business travelers and business travel programs. Further guidance on the changes and what businesses should do to prepare can be found here for the EES and here for ETIAS.
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Scherezade Maestre
Director
Lindsey Barras
Partner
Simply follow our Vialto Alerts page on LinkedIn and posts will be displayed on your feed. To ensure you don’t miss one, once you’re on our LinkedIn page, click on the bell icon under the banner image to manage your notifications.
Further information on Vialto Partners can be found here: www.vialtopartners.com
Vialto Partners (“Vialto”) refers to wholly owned subsidiaries of CD&R Galaxy UK OpCo Limited as well as the other members of the Vialto Partners global network. The information contained in this document is for general guidance on matters of interest only. Vialto is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All information is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will Vialto, its related entities, or the agents or employees thereof be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this document or for any consequential, special or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
© 2026 Vialto Partners. All rights reserved.