BRUSSELS — The European Union has postponed the rollout of a new biometric entry-check system for travelers from outside the EU, originally set for November 10. This decision follows warnings from Germany, France, and the Netherlands about their border systems being unprepared.

“The November 10 deadline is off the table,” stated EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson during a press conference. She mentioned that there isn’t a new launch date, but they are considering a gradual rollout.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) aims to establish a digital link connecting travel documents with biometric data to verify a person’s identity, thereby eliminating the need for physical passport stamps at the EU’s borders.

This system would necessitate non-EU travelers entering the Schengen area to provide their fingerprints, take a facial scan, and answer questions regarding the purpose of their visit.

According to a spokesperson from the German interior ministry, the three countries, which account for 40% of the affected passenger flow, are unprepared for the EES because of the lack of required stability and functionality in the EES central system, which is under the EU agency EU-Lisa.

EU-Lisa is tasked with overseeing the implementation of large IT systems across the EU.

The French interior ministry expressed confidence in the EES’s benefits but emphasized the need for thorough preparation before its launch.

The Dutch government has not yet provided a comment on this issue.