European aviation sector representatives have endorsed the postponing of European Union (EU) "smart border" rules for travellers from outside the bloc.
Industry bodies Airports Council International (ACI), Airlines for Europe (A4E), the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in a joint statement that they "welcome the decision to postpone the implementation of the EU’s new smart border system for non-EU nationals, i.e., the Entry Exit System (EES)".
While backing the EES, which the bodies labelled "a game changer for how the EU’s borders are managed", the associations warned of "a number of issues which must be resolved to ensure a smooth roll out and operation of the new system so that air passengers do not face disruptions".
Among the recommendations they made include wider adoption and effective implementation of automation at national border crossing points and the deployment of sufficient resources to support the implementation by airports and airlines.
"Postponing implementation until after the busy 2023 summer period will give airlines, airports and EU and national authorities the opportunity to resolve these issues and ensure the system is fully tested. We therefore urge all those involved to make the best use of the extra time now available to address the outstanding issues and ensure enough resources are deployed for its introduction," they said.
The Entry/Exit System (EES), according to the aviation bodies, "is an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, each time they cross the external borders of European countries using the system" and covers the EU member-states that are party to the Schengen Agreement.
The EU has twice put back the introduction of the rules, most recently on January 18.