October 12 start date for EU’s automated border rollout

The EU was widely reported on Tuesday to have set October 12 as the launch date for its much-delayed automated border control system, which will be phased in over the next six months.

The Entry Exit System [EES] will require non-EU nationals to register their biometric data, which will be checked when crossing into the Schengen area.

Prior to the June 11 political agreement on a UK/EU treaty for Gibraltar, the start of the EES rollout was seen as a cliff-edge that would potentially have led to the hard post-Brexit border all sides had been at pains to avoid.

But the agreement means the UK and the EU – with Spain and Gibraltar - are set to finalise a treaty that will remove immigration controls at the land border to create a common travel area between the Rock and the Schengen area.

For Gibraltar residents, that will allow free travel through the Schengen zone.

The treaty text, however, has yet to be finalised and must be ratified after that before it can come into effect.

Earlier this month, Spain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel Albares, said the text will be ready by October.

A question remains as to what arrangements will be put in place at the border for the period between the entry into force of the EES and ratification of the treaty.

The original plan had been for a ‘big bang’ rollout of the EES last November at all external EU borders, including ports and airports.

But many countries were not ready and the plans were delayed amid fears of chaos at immigration controls across the EU.

Against the backdrop of those concerns, the EU earlier this year finally opted for a staggered approach over a period of six months as from October, although it did not specify a date at the time.

Under the proposed phased deployment of the new system, EU member states will progressively start operating the EES and work towards a minimum registration of 10% of border crossings after the first month.

For the first 60 days, member states may operate the EES without biometric functionalities.

After three months, member states should operate the EES – with biometric checks – at a minimum of half of their border crossing points.

EU countries should reach full registration of all individuals by the end of the period of the progressive start of EES operation.

Until the end of the transition period, member states will also continue to manually stamp travel documents.

A spokesperson for the Gibraltar Government was unable to confirm at this stage whether any arrangements will be put in place at the border.