European Union delays introduction of new border check system

The European Union has delayed introducing a fingerprint and facial scan border check system for non-EU citizens.

It was due to be rolled out on 10 November, but has been pushed back after Germany, France and the Netherlands said their computer systems were not ready.

Meanwhile, sources have told the BBC that there has been no live testing of the EU’s software on the UK’s border systems.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said there was not a new timetable for its implementation, but it would be phased in.

“It’s clear that we’re not going to be ready for the 10 November,” said Ms Johansson, adding: “We will be going for a phased approach, step by step.”

The EU Justice and Home Affairs Council will meet next week to discuss bringing it in.

The Entry Exit System (EES) means non-EU citizens, including people from the UK, need to register biometric data at the EU border to get in rather than stamping passports.

The idea is to make a digital record linking passports to biometric data. Passengers will be given hand held devices, so they can register their details in their cars.

A spokesperson for the German interior ministry told the Reuters news agency the three countries were not ready to bring in the system because the EU agency in charge of it, EU-Lisa, had not yet made it stable enough.

The French interior ministry told Reuters EES must be prepared properly.