Actions
The EES-ETIAS Advisory Group met online on 2–3 December 2025, providing an opportunity for Member States, Associated Countries, the European Commission, Frontex and eu-LISA to take stock of the progressive entry into operation of the Entry/Exit System (EES) and review the next steps towards the launch of ETIAS by the end of 2026.
EES: Steady Expansion Across Europe
The European Commission welcomed the continued engagement of the EES community and acknowledged the solid progress made since the system’s progressive start on 12 October 2025. As part of this phase, Member States are expected to gradually increase the number of EES registrations, contributing to a stable and orderly ramp-up of the new procedures.
The progressive roll-out is advancing steadily across the Schengen area. Some Member States chose to introduce EES at all their external border-crossing points from the outset, while others are activating the system in phases—border post by border post, and mode by mode. This flexible approach allows each country to follow its national roll-out plan, with up to 180 days available to complete deployment at all air, sea and land borders. During this transitional period, border guards continue to apply passport stamping in locations where EES has not yet been activated.
Throughout this phase, operations have remained stable. eu-LISA continues to provide reinforced central monitoring, operational guidance and on-site support where needed. Close day-to-day coordination between the Agency and national authorities ensures consistent decision-making and timely responses to evolving operational needs.
Strengthening Carrier Readiness
The meeting placed particular emphasis on the integration of carriers, who will assume a formal responsibility within the EES framework once the roll-out is complete. Air, sea and coach operators will be required to verify, before departure, whether third-country nationals travelling with a short-stay visa have already used the number of entries authorised by their visa. This obligation will apply from April 2026, following the completion of the progressive start.
To support carriers in meeting these requirements, eu-LISA has developed a full suite of tools, starting with the Carrier Interface, available as system-to-system interface, a web portal and a mobile application for iOS and Android. This will allow operators to carry out pre-departure verifications securely and efficiently. The Carrier Onboarding and Support Tool (COBST) serves as the main communication channel between eu-LISA and the carriers’ community, offering continuous access to operational guidance, technical updates and supporting material. An updated version of the multilingual EES/ETIAS FAQ, prepared by Frontex, is also available in the COBST, now enriched with additional guidance related to the progressive start and revised sea-travel scenarios.
The Carrier Interface will become available for use on 9 January 2026. While its use is not yet mandatory, carriers were encouraged in the Carriers Working Group to begin familiarising themselves with the system from that date, gradually scaling up their operational use in the following weeks. Carriers were further reminded to complete staff training for both the web portal and the mobile application and to confirm completion to eu-LISA’s onboarding team.
ETIAS: Accelerating Towards 2026
With the EES now progressively operational, attention is turning increasingly to the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which remains a central EU priority. Preparations are advancing on several fronts. The ETIAS compliance testing campaign for Member States has been streamlined into a single continuous activity running until March 2026, allowing for a more coherent and efficient testing process. 21 Member States and Agencies have already executed part of the required scenarios, and end-to-end business testing activities are expected to begin in December with support from Frontex.
Implementation work on the Screening Regulation also continues to progress, with agreement reached among Member States on the workflows that will underpin the ETIAS screening process. In parallel, eu-LISA is developing new digital support solutions for travellers and carriers, including an AI-based chatbot designed to improve the accessibility and usability of ETIAS services. The ETIAS Data Protection Impact Assessment is undergoing its final update, in close cooperation between eu-LISA and Frontex.
A Coordinated Path Towards 2026
As the EES continues its progressive expansion and the ETIAS ecosystem advances towards its 2026 launch, the EES-ETIAS Advisory Group remains a key forum for cooperation, information-sharing and joint decision-making between all involved stakeholders.
eu-LISA will continue to provide the operational, technical and governance support needed to ensure a secure, stable and interoperable European border-management landscape.
