<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>British tourists wishing to travel to the Balearic Islands will face the new automated Schengen Entry-Exit System (EES) starting this week. Activated on October 12th by the European Union for phased implementation in member states, the system will begin operating this Tuesday on the island of Menorca.</strong></h4> The Entry-Exit System is a new automated computer procedure that will record the entry and exit from the Schengen Area of citizens of third countries not part of this European agreement on the free movement of people. This new digital record will also register travelers' passport data, photo, fingerprints, and the date and place of entry or exit, eliminating the requirement for passport stamps for travelers entering or leaving European territory. The European Union activated its new border control model on October 12th and has since begun its phased implementation, with full operational status scheduled for April 10th, 2026. According to the British ambassador in Madrid, Alex Ellis, speaking to the ‘Majorca Daily Bulletin’ at the end of October, “The EES has begun to be introduced in Spain, but it will be implemented over a period of six months.” “Madrid was the first airport to do so on October 12th, and only for a limited number of passengers,” he continued. “They are staggering it across Spain; Menorca will do so on November 4th and Palma on November 19th; Ibiza has not yet set a date,” he added. The EES is also being phased in at all other Spanish airports, as well as in countries such as France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Portugal. The only EU countries where the SES rules will not ultimately apply are the Republic of Ireland and Cyprus. “The UK provided around 18.4 million visitors last year, so we are talking to the various parts of the world that have a significant number of British visitors: the Balearic Islands are one, the Canary Islands will be another,” Ellis explained. “We have been talking with the Spanish authorities about how this control system is progressing, because there is a great deal of interest on the Spanish side in ensuring it works properly,” he assured. In fact, he added, “the Spanish were already prepared” to implement the SES, so although the system has been delayed a couple of times, “it hasn’t been because of the Spanish; it’s been other countries that haven’t been prepared.” A tourist’s digital EES registration is valid for three years, the ambassador added. If someone re-enters the Schengen Area during that period, they will only need to provide a fingerprint or photo at the border upon entry and exit.
