The relevant law was approved by the EU Council and provides for the launch of the EES within six months from the date of adoption. The new rules will also affect Moldovan citizens making short-term trips to EU countries. As Ukrayinska Pravda notes, the digital system will register not only the fact of entry/exit, but also passport data, fingerprints and facial images of non-EU citizens.
“Robust protection of our external borders is vital for the European Union. The new entry-exit system will help us ensure that non-EU citizens traveling to Europe adhere to our rules. This will make our borders more secure and border controls more effective,” said Kaare Dibwad Beck, Minister for Immigration and Integration of Denmark, which holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
The launch of the EES system was planned as early as late last year, but several EU member states have advocated postponing the implementation of the digital border control system to a later date.
