(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) BRUSSELS, Oct 12 (KUNA) -- European Union member states began Sunday, implementing the new Entry/Exit System (EES) at external borders to electronically record data of non-EU travellers, aiming to enhance border security, streamline crossings, and curb irregular migration, the bloc announced.
The European Commission said in a statement that the new system, which will be introduced gradually over six months, requires travelers from outside the EU to register their data at border crossings by scanning their passports and providing fingerprints and photographs.
Danish Minister for Immigration and Integration Rasmus Stoklund said, according to the press release, that "this new border management system will enhance the security of the Schengen area and contribute to preventing irregular migration."
He added, "Because it digitally registers information from the passport and biometric data, the EES can offer real-time information on whether people have complied with their authorized period of stay in the Schengen area and help to significantly reduce identity fraud."
He explained that the system's purpose is to help the European Union better monitor border crossings, prevent terrorists and irregular migrants from entering the Schengen area, and maintain effective control over third-country nationals to strengthen external border security.
The new automated Entry/Exit System applies only to travellers who are not citizens of EU member states or countries associated with the Schengen area, and will be gradually rolled out at certain border crossings before becoming fully operational in April 2026. (end)
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