<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Ministry of the Interior has invested €83 million to adapt all Spanish border crossings to the technical requirements of the new automated Schengen Entry-Exit System (EES), which the European Union will activate on October 12.</strong></h4> The Entry-Exit System (EES) is a new automated computer procedure that will record the entry and exit of citizens from third countries not covered by this European agreement on the free movement of persons from the Schengen Area. Furthermore, this new digital registry will record travelers' passport data, photo, fingerprints, and the date and place of entry or exit. It will also eliminate the requirement for passport stamps for travelers entering or leaving European territory. The European Union will activate its new border control model on Sunday, October 12, after which it will gradually become operational until it is fully operational, scheduled for April 10, 2026. According to a press release from the Ministry of the Interior, control of European border crossings in Spanish territory, whether at ports, airports, and land borders, will continue to be the responsibility of the National Police, while the Civil Guard will maintain its missions of preventing and prosecuting smuggling, fraud, and other tax and customs offenses. The Ministry of the Interior has invested €83 million to adapt all Spanish border crossings to the technical requirements of the EES. All land and air borders are now ready to begin operating with the new system. The process has not yet been completed in the case of seaports because various port authorities have not yet completed the bidding process and the installation of the necessary infrastructure to meet the requirements of the new European border model. During the six-month trial period for the EU EES, it will gradually become operational at Spanish border crossings, first at airports, then at land borders, and finally at sea borders. On Sunday, October 12, the first test will be conducted with passengers on a flight that will land at Madrid-Barajas-Adolfo Suárez Airport early in the morning.
