What the new EU Entry/Exit System means for business travellers

The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is a new digital border initiative due to begin in late 2025. It aims to streamline border management across the Schengen Area through digital registration and biometric checks for all non-EU nationals.

In this guide, we’ll explain how the EU EES system will work, giving businesses the information needed to verify compliance with all visa documentation and traveller data requirements. And for frequent business travellers, understanding the EES rules minimises potential frustration and delay for a more efficient border crossing.

What is the EU Entry/Exit System and how will it work?

The Entry/Exit System will apply to both visa-exempt travellers and short-stay visa holders from non-EU countries. Once operational, the system will replace manual passport stamping with a fully digital entry and exit process. The new EES rules will apply to many business travellers visiting the EU for short-term stays up to 90 days.

Operated primarily through self-serve kiosks, the system will register:

1. Traveller name
2. Travel document type and details
3. Biometric data
4. Date and place of entry and exit

Any entry refusals will also be recorded for improved tracking and control of overstays. Authorities will receive real-time alerts when travellers exceed their permitted stay.

What is the purpose of the Entry/Exit System?

The EES is a key component of the Smart Borders initiative, designed to optimise movement in and out of the Schengen region. The primary purpose of the EU’s Schengen Entry/Exit System is to streamline border management while improving security.

According to the EES website, benefits of the system will include:

• Combating identity fraud with biometric data
• Combating terrorism and organised crime with advanced identity verification
• Improving the traveller experience through efficient border checks
• Creating a centralised record of visitor entries, exits, and entry refusals
• Promoting real-time information sharing across the EU

For business travellers, benefits include reduced passport queue waiting times. With automated, digital border control kiosks, queues move quicker.

For organisations, it improves compliance with visa requirements with more precise information about authorised stays.

When is the Entry/Exit System start date?

A specific Entry/Exit System start date is not yet available, though it’s expected to launch in October 2025. Originally scheduled to start in 2022, the project has been delayed several times due to technical issues.

Once determined, the European Union will announce the specific Entry/Exit System start date with some advance notice. According to a March 2025 update from EU Home Affairs Ministers, the EES will most likely be rolled out in progressive stages rather than all at once. This approach gives border authorities more time for live testing and adjustment.

 What countries are part of the EES?

The EES is made up of 29 countries across the Schengen Zone.

These include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Who does the Entry/Exit System apply to?

The system applies to all visitors from non-EU countries visiting one of the 29 EES countries on a short stay. The EES rules define a short stay as up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

It applies to all business travellers from all non-EU countries who either:

1. Do not need a visa for short stays within European countries
2. Do need a short-stay visa to travel to European countries

Although Cyprus and Ireland are part of the European Union, because they are not Schengen countries the EES rules will not apply at the borders. Instead, passports will still be stamped manually.

Who does the EES not apply to?

The new EU Entry/Exit System does not apply to EU nationals.

There are additional circumstances where the EES rules might not apply. Some examples include:

• Non-EU nationals immediately related to an EU national who hold a residence card
• Travellers who hold a residence permit or long-stay visa
• Non-EU nationals taking part in an intra-corporate transfer or research exchange scheme
• Cross-border workers granted exemption from border checks

This list is not exhaustive, and the rules are frequently updated. Before travelling to the EU for work, it’s best to visit the EES website for the most current information.

What is the difference between EES and ETIAS travel authorisation?

The EES is being launched in tandem with the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). While both are designed to strengthen border security and efficiency, the ETIAS travel authorisation is a different system.

Here are the key differences that business travellers should be aware of:

Visas:

• The EES applies to visa-free and visa-required travellers
• The ETIAS is available for visa-free travellers only

Countries:

• The EES applies to 29 Schengen countries
• The EU ETIAS applies to all 29 Schengen countries as well as Cyprus

Timing:

• The EES registers travellers at the border
• The ETIAS is applied for in advance

Details

• The EES collects traveller entry and exit data as well as biometrics, including fingerprints and facial image
• The ETIAS collects personal details including occupation, address, passport details and travel history

Launch date

• The EES will be launched before the EU ETIAS

How will EES rules impact business travellers?

Though the EU EES system is not yet in effect, businesses can start preparing travellers now for upcoming requirements. Here are several ways that the new rules could have an impact on employees travelling for work.

1. Delays during the implementation phase

Once it’s up and running, the new EU Entry/Exit System should make border crossings more efficient. Manual passport checks will be replaced by biometric verification, enabling border control queues to move faster. Although travellers must undergo a biometric scan when entering or leaving the EU, this data will be stored in the EES database for swift, automated processing on future visits.

Yet as with any widescale IT rollout, business travellers can expect some initial delays and teething issues. Keep this new system in mind when planning business trips to the EU in late 2025 or early 2026, building extra time into your schedule for delays.

2. Real-time monitoring of short-stay limits

For business travellers who frequently travel to Europe for client meetings and conferences, it will be more important than ever to track days spent in the Schengen zone. Short-stay rules permit visits up to 90 days within any 180-day period. This rule is not changing, but manual passport stamping can at times lead to accidental overstays due to human error.

By contrast, the new digital system will be extremely precise. With a central EES database automatically tracking all entries and exits, there is no leeway given for overstays. All days spent will be calculated in real time, which is something to factor into travel scheduling. Indeed, preventing visa overstays is one of the EES’s primary purposes, and business travellers who break the rules could be subject to financial penalties or entry bans. As part of travel risk management, it’s vital for businesses to keep short-term trips within the limit.

3. Biometric data collection and security issues

With the EU Entry/Exit System, all non-EU travellers must provide facial images and fingerprints. This biometric data will be stored in adherence to the EU’s data protection laws, including GDPR.

Some business travellers may feel uncertain about their personal data being kept. Businesses should ease these concerns by advising team members about security measures, as well as explaining how the data will be used.

How business travellers can prepare for the Schengen Entry/Exit System

Individual business travellers can also take some preparatory steps before visiting the EU under the new EES framework.

1. Review the EES rules before travelling to familiarise yourself with biometric procedures and required paperwork.
2. Add up and track your travel dates with the 90-day rule in mind.
3. Review your travel documents, including passports and visas, to make sure they match booking details.
4. Add EES apps like Travel to Europe to your business trip packing list, which allow you to pre-register travel document data and facial images to speed up entry times.

How to update corporate travel policies for the new EU Entry/Exit System

With both the EES and EU ETIAS systems on the horizon, 2025 is the time for businesses to start planning.

Start by reviewing and updating corporate travel policies to reflect these changes.

• Make clear in your travel management policy who will be responsible for verifying that travellers are within their permitted 90-day limits, and how this will be tracked.
• Employees should also be aware that their biometric data will be collected, and what this entails.
• Fine-tune travel booking processes to accommodate border delays during the EES implementation phases.
• It’s worth evaluating travel delay and data security as part of a full risk assessment.

Staying compliant with the Entry/Exit System

The EES promises a more efficient, modern border control experience, though the initial rollout period may present longer wait times.

Advanced data collection at the border means that businesses need to be more proactive and organised than ever when it comes to corporate travel planning. This starts with updating travel policies to reflect the new requirements, then communicating these changes effectively to all stakeholders.

It's also worth using business travel management solutions like Tripeden.com for Business to store and manage bookings in a single, accessible space. This facilitates more accurate itinerary tracking, so that you can prevent costly overstays with an overview of traveller movements.