The European Union will push the launch of its European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) to next year after the troubled rollout of the separate Entry/Exit System (EES) created long queues at airports and land borders.

About 1.4bn visa‑exempt travellers, including those from the UK and US, would have to register online and pay a €20 fee for pre‑travel security checks. Technical glitches in the EES, which requires fingerprint and facial scans, have already forced airlines to warn of a chaotic summer.

EU‑Lisa, the agency managing both systems, acknowledged in a mid‑June board meeting that a 2024 start is no longer feasible and will reconvene in September to set a new timeline. Officials said EES must be stabilised before adding another layer that could double processing lines.

Home‑affairs commissioner Magnus Brunner blamed national governments for staffing and infrastructure shortfalls that slowed EES, originally slated for 2022. The European Commission can only set a start date after EU‑Lisa completes successful testing, and one source said a further quarter may be needed. The delay gives carriers and travel operators more certainty for scheduling, but prolonged regulatory uncertainty could weigh on booking volumes and revenue forecasts for the summer season.