Dublin: The European Commission has revealed that around 4,000 people living in the Schengen area have been detained following the rollout of the European Union’s new Entry-Exit System (EES).
The system, which came into effect on October 12, is designed to automatically monitor compliance with the 90/180-day stay rule for non-EU travellers. The figures were presented to the European Parliament Civil Liberties Committee.
Millions of Crossings Recorded
In its first four months of operation, the system recorded:
- 17 million traveller registrations
- 30 million border crossings
- Around 16,000 refusals of entry
Officials said many of those denied entry were flagged for overstaying permitted time limits within the Schengen zone.
Digital Border Control System
The EES replaces traditional passport stamping with a digital system that records the entry and exit of non-EU nationals. It includes biometric data, such as fingerprints and facial scans.
The system aims to:
- Strengthen border security
- Prevent identity fraud
- Improve the efficiency of border checks
Tilman Kubler of eu-LISA said the system has been operating smoothly and successfully at a central level since its introduction.
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