In early 2023, Spain's tourism industry raised concerns that the planned ETIAS fee could discourage visitors from one of its most important source markets. The warning was aimed not at a system already in force, but at a proposed travel authorisation still expected to arrive later.
The European Commission says the Entry/Exit System is foreseen for October 2025 after earlier delays. Operators at Dover, Eurostar and Eurotunnel say they are preparing infrastructure, but uncertainty over the exact launch date keeps queue concerns in focus.
Long before ETIAS became part of routine travel headlines, ABTA was explaining it as an EU proposal modelled in part on ESTA-style pre-travel screening. The key point was that the scheme originated in wider Schengen border policy rather than as a direct response to Brexit.
By spring 2025, the story around the EU's Entry/Exit System had shifted from a missed launch date to a phased implementation plan. ABTA's practical message was that businesses and travellers still needed to prepare, but they also needed to understand that the system would not switch on everywhere at once.
The European Commission says the Entry/Exit System is foreseen for October 2025 after earlier delays. Operators at Dover, Eurostar and Eurotunnel say they are preparing infrastructure, but uncertainty over the exact launch date keeps queue concerns in focus.
The European Union is preparing major changes at its external borders. Here is a clear guide to the EES and ETIAS systems, the expected rollout timeline, and what non-EU travelers should be ready for.
The EU’s long-planned Entry/Exit System is facing another delay, leaving many travellers unsure about when the new border checks will begin. Here is a clear overview of what the EES is, who it affects, and how it could change travel to the Schengen Area.
The UK is ramping up preparations for the EU's new Entry/Exit System, with fresh funding, new kiosks and added staffing at key departure points. Travellers should still expect extra processing time when the system goes live on 10 November.
The EU's ETIAS system has been pushed back again and is now expected to begin in the last quarter of 2026. For visa-exempt travellers, that means more time before the new pre-travel authorisation becomes part of entering the Schengen Area.
The European Commission wants to increase the planned ETIAS authorization fee from €7 to €20 for visa-free travelers visiting most of Europe for short stays. The move is designed to support the EU budget, but the proposal still needs political approval before it can take effect.