EES waiver expiry threatens longer queues at Italian airports

A rule allowing border guards to pause new EU biometric passport checks at busy times expired over the weekend, raising the prospect of longer queues at Italy's airports, according to The Local Italy. The Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires non-EU travellers to register fingerprints and facial images on arrival, can now be enforced without the temporary waiver that let officials suspend checks during peak periods.

The change comes as the Schengen area moves toward fuller enforcement of the biometric border regime, a system designed to tighten security but which has drawn criticism over its potential to slow travel. The Local Italy reported that Monday, September 7th, was seen as a key date for the full enforcement of the checks, with concerns that queues at border crossings could grow longer and slower this month.

For Liguria, the implications extend beyond the airports. Genoa's Cristoforo Colombo Airport serves as a gateway for the region's cruise industry, which brings hundreds of thousands of passengers through the city each year en route to the Riviera and Cinque Terre. While the EES applies to air, sea and land borders, the expiry of the waiver means that border guards at all entry points, including the port of Genoa, can no longer suspend biometric checks when queues build up.

The port of Genoa is one of the busiest cruise terminals in the Mediterranean, and the reintroduction of mandatory biometric registration for non-EU passengers could add significant processing time during the autumn cruise season, which peaks in September and October. The Local Italy noted that the waiver had previously allowed border officials to bypass the checks during periods of high traffic, a flexibility that has now been removed.

Travellers and industry operators have been advised to arrive earlier at airports and ports to account for potential delays. The EES is part of a broader EU effort to digitise border management, but its rollout has been uneven, with some member states reporting technical difficulties during pilot phases. The Local Italy's reporting suggests that the full enforcement could test the capacity of Italian border infrastructure just as the tourist season enters its final stretch.