The European Commission has confirmed that the EU Entry-Exit System (EES) will still launch on April 9, 2026, despite reports claiming the rollout had been delayed.

While all Schengen countries must have the system in place by that date, EU rules allow temporary flexibility after April 9, letting countries ease or pause checks to manage long lines during peak travel periods.

The European Commission has confirmed that the EES will be fully deployed by April 9, 2026, and that the timeline has not changed. 

However, countries in the Schengen Area will have limited flexibility to pause EES operations after that date to manage summer travel congestion.

According to Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert, member states can partially suspend EES checks for up to 90 days after the rollout is complete, with a possible 60-day extension. 

This measure is intended to prevent long border queues during peak travel periods and was already included in the legal framework of the system’s deployment.

Since its phased introduction in October 2025, EES has caused disruptions across several European airports. Issues have included system crashes and longer processing times, especially during the 2025 holiday season. 

According to the Airports Council International, processing times increased by 70% in some locations due to the added steps involved in biometric data collection.

In Spain, technical failures at Gran Canaria Airport reportedly caused border gates to crash on multiple occasions in late December and early January, delaying flights. 

The airport resorted to manual stamping of passports after repeated malfunctions of EES-linked gates.

Portugal suspended the system’s use at Lisbon Airport in December 2025 after widespread delays. In January 2026, 24 officers from the National Republican Guard were stationed at the airport to help ease pressure at border checkpoints.