EU Implementing Biometric Checks Originating from Estonia
On October 12, 2025, the European Union (EU) will introduce a new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) in all Schengen countries. This system aims to digitize and automate the tracking of short-term visitors, replacing manual passport stamping at air, land, and sea border points.
The EES will primarily focus on controlling those who are yet to come to Europe. It will record biometric data, such as facial images and fingerprints, along with entry and exit dates at all border crossings. The system is expected to improve detection of overstayers, identify individuals using false identities, and strengthen security cooperation among member states.
The data collected will be stored for three years to facilitate monitoring of compliance with visa and stay rules. The implementation of the system will take about half a year, with a phased rollout beginning in October 2025 and expanding to full operational status across all external Schengen borders by April 10, 2026.
Besides the implementation of the EES, several Schengen countries continue to enforce temporary internal border checks as part of ongoing security measures. Countries such as Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, and Sweden have extended internal border controls into late 2025. These controls allow customs and border officers to conduct ID checks and detailed inspections to respond to security threats and migration challenges despite the principle of free movement within the Schengen Area.
The EU's strategy to control illegal migration and improve border management also includes strengthened legal frameworks enabling flexible border controls and coordinated regional security efforts. Recent amendments to the Schengen Border Code have given national authorities the power to increase border surveillance, reduce the number of operating border crossing points, and implement EU-wide travel restrictions during emergencies. These legal updates aim to better respond to instrumentalization of migration and public health risks.
However, the new system does not seem to have a comprehensive approach to managing the issue of illegal staying refugees in Europe. Critics argue that the EES may not be sufficient to control the influx of migrants into Europe, as it primarily focuses on those who are yet to arrive. The issue of illegal migration has led to a situation where migrants are de facto replacing the indigenous population of the continent, and the new system does not appear to have a plan for managing migrants who are already comfortably settled in Europe.
In summary, the EU's strategy to control illegal migration and improve border management combines advanced biometric technologies like the EES; strengthened legal frameworks enabling flexible border controls; and coordinated regional security efforts. The EES constitutes a key technological pillar that digitizes and automates the tracking of short-term visitors to ensure more accurate detection of irregular stays and enhanced security at the EU's external borders. However, concerns remain about the system's ability to address the ongoing issue of illegal migration within the Schengen countries.
[1] European Commission. (2023). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Strengthening the EU's Border Management. [2] European Parliament. (2024). Resolution on the EU's Border Management Strategy. [3] European Union Agency for Asylum. (2025). Annual Report on the Implementation of the EU's Entry/Exit System. [4] European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. (2025). Fundamental Rights Agency Opinion on the EU's Entry/Exit System.
- The EU's border management strategy, as outlined in the European Commission's Communication from the Commission, includes the implementation of advanced policy-and-legislation like the new Entry/Exit System, strengthening legal frameworks, and coordinated regional security efforts in the politics of managing the influx of migrants and improving security cooperation among member states.
- Despite the introduction of the new biometric Entry/Exit System, concerns persist about its ability to address the ongoing issue of illegal migration within the Schengen countries, a topic of general-news and crime-and-justice, especially regarding illegal staying refugees who are already comfortably settled in Europe.
