"The safety of Europeans is not a detail – it is a fundamental right," ECR rapporteur Assita Kanko said, following the European Parliament’s final approval of the Entry-Exit System (EES).

“With this system, we can finally track who enters and leaves our territory effectively. No more blind spots in our controls.”

Kanko called the EES “a vital step forward in the fight against illegal migration and for the security of our citizens.”

She said:

“The long-awaited EES will be applied across all 29 Schengen countries and will reinforce the security of the EU’s external borders and help manage migration flows more effectively.

“We worked at top speed to ensure that citizens can soon benefit from increased border security, with entries and exits being systematically and electronically logged, and reduced queues for those with valid documentation.

“Parliament has now done its part. Now, the ball is in the court of the Member States and the European Commission to finish preparations and start the rollout as soon as possible.”

The EES will gradually replace manual passport stamping by registering names, travel document details, and biometric data such as fingerprints and facial images of non-EU nationals entering or exiting the Schengen area for short stays. Once operational, the system will help detect overstayers, reduce identity fraud, and enable real-time access to border data across all Schengen countries.

Kanko highlighted the broader significance of the reform saying:

“This system means less time wasted for law-abiding travellers and greater operational capacity for our police forces.”

The ECR Group has consistently advocated for stronger external border protection and more effective return procedures. Once implemented by Member States, the Entry-Exit System will represent a key step in restoring control and rebuilding public trust in the Schengen framework.

Rollout is scheduled to begin in autumn 2025 and will take place gradually over 180 days. The European Commission will formally launch the process once technical preparations at both national and EU level have been completed.