The head of Europe’s aviation trade association has told EU ministers to “stop pretending” that the region’s new biometric border control system is “working just fine”.
Stefan Schulte, president of ACI Europe, called on the European Commission to deliver a new aviation strategy that restores Europe’s “competitiveness” at ACI Europe’s annual assembly in Prague on Tuesday.
Schulte, who is also head of the company that owns Frankfurt airport, said that the current state of EES is “what keeps me and many other airport CEOs across Europe awake at night”.
The Schengen area entry-exit system (EES) has been plagued with problems, including queues stretching to six hours and reports of passengers being repeatedly checked since its full rollout in April.
Schulte said: “Passengers are queuing for hours at peak traffic times, and I just do not know how we will be able to cope in the coming weeks with the expected increase in traffic.
“EU Home Affairs Commissioner Brunner and Home Affairs Ministers must stop pretending the situation is manageable and that the EES is working just fine. It is not.”
The new border control, EES, requires individuals from non-EU countries, such as the UK, to have their fingerprints registered and a photograph taken upon entry to the Schengen Area, which comprises 29 European nations.
The ACI Europe president added that border control authorities need “full flexibility” to suspend EES to avoid further chaos.
“This is about showing respect and decency for those who chose to travel to the EU, and safeguarding our reputation as a welcoming and efficient destination,” said Schulte.
The Independent has contacted the European Commission for comment.
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