A UK-EU summit agreement on 20 May 2025 confirmed there are no longer legal barriers to Britons using e-gates at EU borders after EES launches. The practical change, however, will not arrive until October at the earliest.
EU Home Affairs Ministers have endorsed a revised rollout plan for two major travel systems. The Entry/Exit System will go live in October 2025, while the European Travel Information and Authorisation System will launch in late 2026, supported by transitional and grace periods.
ETIAS has drawn heavy attention, but UK travellers do not need to rush into applications or unofficial websites. The immediate priority is understanding that ETIAS depends on EES and that only confirmed official information should shape travel plans.
The European Union has delayed the long-awaited ETIAS travel authorisation system once again, pushing its expected launch to the final quarter of 2026.
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.
A further delay to ETIAS does not mean easier travel to Europe in the meantime. The more immediate change is the phased Entry/Exit System, which is likely to bring extra checks, continued passport stamping and longer queues before ETIAS ever becomes compulsory.
A misleading rule survived online for years and risked confusing travellers at exactly the wrong moment. The correction matters because the Schengen passport test is simpler than many officials, airlines and websites have claimed.
Spain remains one of Europe's top summer destinations, but 2025 brings tighter entry checks, changing tourist taxes and stricter local conduct rules. Here is a clear guide to what travellers should prepare before arriving.
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.
The EU is upgrading how Schengen external borders work, including the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). If you travel visa-free, these changes will shape border checks and advance screening.