Discover the security procedures and checks that apply to different categories of travellers entering or leaving the Schengen Area, and how systems like EES and ETIAS streamline the process.
For many travellers, 2025 was not about one new rule but several overlapping systems moving at different speeds. The key to making sense of the year was understanding that the UK's ETA, the EU's EES and the later ETIAS permit were separate changes with separate timelines.
ABTA presented its autumn schedule as a practical chance to meet members, share industry updates and discuss the coming effects of EES and ETIAS in person. The message was less about a single announcement and more about sustained engagement across the season.
Before the planned 2024 launch of the EU's Entry/Exit System, ABTA's message was clear: travellers needed to expect a new border routine, not just another headline. The biggest early change was the first-time registration process, which was expected to slow some crossings before the system settled in.
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 EU's Entry/Exit System was pushed back once more in July 2024, shifting its expected October launch to at least November. The delay, driven partly by French concerns over capacity, continued a years-long pattern of postponements for the biometric border programme.
ABTA said it was intensifying contact with EU and UK authorities as two major Europe travel changes moved nearer. The association's focus was practical: securing clearer answers on rollout, disruption risks and how travellers should be informed.
Good summer travel preparation starts well before departure. Travellers who review official advice, insurance cover, passport rules and airport requirements early are in a far stronger position to avoid disruption.
ABTA presented EES and ETIAS as changes that travel businesses needed to explain well before implementation. Its guidance model combined a member hub, a consumer advice page and regular updates as more official detail became available.
ABTA expanded its Europe travel guidance by publishing dedicated EES and ETIAS information for both the trade and the public. The aim was to help businesses answer questions early while official details were still developing.