Traveling to Europe? What You Need to Know About New EES and ETIAS

In this episode of The Inside Track, host Grace Shie and James Perrott unpack Europe's evolving border regime, focusing on the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), launched on October 12, 2025, with a phased implementation through April 10, 2026. EES applies at Schengen—rather than EU-wide—borders and requires most non-EU travelers to provide biometrics (fingerprints and a facial image) and scan passports at their first enabled entry or exit. This episode clarifies Schengen versus the European Union, and outlines key exemptions based on traveler profiles. It also highlights enforcement of the Schengen 90/180 rule using EES data and associated penalties for overstays. Finally, the episode previews the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS)—coming after full EES implementation—and how the two electronic systems will work together to pre-screen travelers and track cross-border movement across the Schengen territory.