EU border flexibility measures expired on 6 September, and queues are expected to return

The emergency discretion that allowed member states to pause biometric collection under the Entry/Exit System at congested border crossings expired on 6 September 2026. The European Commission declined to extend it, despite airline lobbying to keep the power available until the end of the year. Reporting suggests some member states will not enforce biometric checks in practice, and that travellers crossing to France should see little change because of technical problems with the French EES software.

Why this matters. EES registration applies to non-EU nationals entering the Schengen area, which includes UK citizens and everyone else travelling on a third-country passport. For people who cross borders frequently — nomads managing the 90/180 rule, freelancers travelling to clients, anyone splitting life between a residence in one country and work in another — the practical effect is longer waits at first registration, and the return of checks that had been quietly suspended at busy crossings over the summer.

Registration is a one-off per traveller in the system’s initial phase, so delays concentrate on first crossings rather than every trip. Enforcement is likely to be uneven between member states for some months.

What to watch. Whether individual member states apply the checks consistently now the discretion has gone. Uneven enforcement makes journey planning unpredictable in a way that a clear rule, even a slower one, does not.