If you frequently travel between the EU and the UK, the US or other third countries, you may have noticed that something changed last weekend.
The EU's much-postponed Entry-Exit System (EES) was finally implemented at the bloc's external borders on Sunday – requiring non-EU nationals to register their fingerprints and agree to be photographed when they are leaving or entering 29 (mainly EU) countries.
While the roll-out will take place gradually to allow authorities and travellers to adjust to the new procedures and avoid long queues, the new system already appeared to have had a severe impact on travel this weekend: non-EU travellers say they were left waiting for three hours at Brussels Airport.
One American passenger told The Brussels Times that when she got off the plane in Belgium, she entered a long hallway where her wait began. "There was nobody there to brief you or tell you what was going on."
When approached by The Brussels Times, a Brussels Airport press officer could not confirm that the long waiting times were due to the Entry-Exit system, but said it was a "peak moment" with many passengers arriving at once.
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1. Non-EU passengers face three hour queues at Brussels Airport border control
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6. Call for EU action over ‘unfair’ hand luggage fees
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7. NATO to test new systems to detect and neutralise foreign drones
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