Ireland and Cyprus have decided not to adopt the Entry/Exit System (EES) that will be implemented in the European Union to track travelers entering and leaving the Schengen Area. The EES is an automated IT system that aims to replace the manual stamping of passports, but both countries will continue to stamp passports even after the EES becomes operational in November 2023.
The Schengen Area consists of 26 European countries that have abolished internal border controls and have a unified visa policy. However, Ireland and Cyprus are not part of the Schengen Area for specific reasons. Ireland wants to maintain its own border control system, and Cyprus has not joined due to an ongoing dispute with Turkey over the status of the northern part of the island.
While the EES is expected to be used by all Schengen countries, including Romania and Bulgaria, who are in the process of joining the Schengen Area, it will not be adopted by Ireland and Cyprus.
The EES will gather information on travelers’ names, passport numbers, and dates of entry and exit from the Schengen Area. This data will be used to track movements and identify potential security risks. It is seen as a crucial tool in the fight against terrorism and other forms of crime, ensuring the safety and security of the Schengen Area.
It’s important to note that the EES will not replace visas or other travel documents, and travelers will still be required to have a valid visa or travel document to enter the Schengen Area. Additionally, the EES will not collect biometric data such as fingerprints or facial scans. The information collected by the EES will be kept confidential and solely used for security purposes.
Overall, while most EU countries will adopt the EES to automate passport tracking, Ireland and Cyprus will maintain their manual passport stamping processes due to their unique situations and specific considerations for border control and geopolitical issues.