The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) has reportedly been postponed again.
It will now be operational in 2025 instead of next year. This is at least the third time that ETIAS has been postponed, and a European Union official said there could still be more postponements.
It’s not the only system to be put on hold.
The Entry/Exit System (EES), a border security system that tracks visitors to European Union countries and registers them, has also been postponed.
Both systems are linked to each other. The ETIAS can’t function properly without the EES.
Acccording to SchengenVisaInfo.com, an EU official said, “The entry into operation of ETIAS can only take place five to six months after the entry into operation of the EES.”
Another European Union official said, “The date of the entry into operation of ETIAS is not yet known. It is expected to be announced at the end of 2023.”
But the EES implementation date is still scheduled for 2024 in order to enhance border security in Europe. Some have suggested that the two programs unlink from each other in order to speed up the process.