EU admits new border system that created hours-long queues for Brits was disastrous

The EU agency overseeing the Entry/Exit System has sued IBM, Atos and Leonardo, the consortium contracted to build and maintain it, after repeated delivery delays and disputes over deadlines and fines. The case highlights problems with a border system intended to strengthen checks on visitors, while its rollout has also contributed to long airport queues and disruption for travellers.

The system began operating in October 2025 and requires visitors from outside the Schengen area to provide fingerprints and photographs on their first entry. It was originally scheduled for 2022; reported problems include faulty fingerprint scanners, outages and a shortage of scanners in some countries, with some passengers missing flights. The lawsuit was filed in Estonia on 22 December 2025; no hearings have been scheduled, and the EU says the case concerns development delays rather than the system’s current operation.