9 EU countries delay new border checks after airport wait times double

Germany has reportedly joined eight other countries in Europe in further delaying the introduction of the new European Entry/Exit System (EES) as wait times cause problems at major airports.

8 EU nations further postpone EES 

Germany, as well as Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Portugal, has reportedly been permitted to postpone EES implementation to “maintain border fluidity”, according to British newspaper The Sunday Times.

The European Commission previously allowed a temporary 150-day pause on EES border checks for European countries struggling with increased passenger numbers over the busy summer holiday period. 

Although the pause was set to run out on September 6, the nine European countries reportedly refused to enforce the change “until the technology and systems were working correctly”, adds the Independent. 

A European Commission spokesperson recently commented in a press briefing that they “are in close and constructive contact with the few member states where adjustments are still needed at certain border crossings.”

Overall, however, EES so far has “generally worked well”, and the “benefits of the new system for the EU are obvious”, according to Euronews.

Wait times cause chaos at German airports

German airports first started introducing further passport controls in October 2025, with Düsseldorf Airport the first to launch the system, followed by airports in Frankfurt and Munich. From April 10, 2026, the EES was rolled out to all European borders. 

However, budget airline Ryanair’s chief operating officer Neal McMahon recently criticised the rollout of the new checks, commenting that “The EU’s handling of EES has been a shambles from start to finish.” 

Ultimately, passengers are suffering as airports and airlines struggle with longer processing times and queues. “Passengers should not be made to pay the price for the EU’s failed EES rollout,” added McMahon.

Checking travellers' passports at border security used to take around 20 to 25 seconds, whereas it can now take up to 90 seconds per passenger, doubling wait times at some major European hubs.

In Frankfurt, border wait times increased from 60 minutes in 2025 to 120 minutes in July 2026, while at Munich Airport wait times doubled from 31 to 60 minutes and at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam from 80 to 120 minutes. 

This article originally appeared on IamExpat Switzerland.