The European Union implemented a new Electronic Entry and Exit System to register non-EU nationals in October of 2025. Countries planned to use the system gradually at external borders, with full implementation expected by April 2026. I was able to experience this system firsthand in December.
After disembarking the plane, passengers walk to immigration and customs along a clearly marked route. Right before being separated into different groups to go through immigration, there are now kiosks that take your picture and scan your fingerprints. Once you successfully complete this process, an agent places a green sticker on the back of your passport. There were some kiosks roped off, but I had no problem completing everything quickly.
Arriving passengers then proceed to immigration based on nationality. Because I had successfully used the kiosk and obtained my green sticker, I was directed toward the electronic gates. I used a similar system when entering Malaysia earlier in the year, but there it is required to submit your information online prior to arrival. In Rome, I simply walked up to the new gate.
Even though I successfully completed the registration process at the kiosk, the new electronic system failed to read my passport and directed me to an agent. Fortunately, the line was short and I was assisted quickly. My picture was taken again, even though it had already been captured at the kiosk. When I asked why the kiosk worked but the entry gate failed, the agent shrugged and said, “it’s a pilot.” After stamping my passport, I was allowed to enter the country.
I met three friends at the airport who were all arriving from different parts of the US. The second arrival was unable to get her fingerprints scanned at the kiosk, despite multiple attempts. However, she was still allowed to enter through the electronic gate. The other two experienced no issues at either step. For our small group, the failure rate of this pilot was 50%. As a result, countries decided to step back, supplement personnel, and provide additional training.
Things could have been much worse. At the Lisbon, Portugal airport, travelers were delayed for up to five hours while trying to enter the country. Other countries reported delays of up to three hours. The pilot was ultimately suspended in Lisbon in December for three months.
Originally, the pilot was intended to be used by up to 10% of entering passengers in October, ramping up to 35% by mid-January. Given the volume of business and leisure travel entering the EU, these targets may have been too optimistic. Testing on a smaller group first, such as passengers from specific countries or specific classes of travel, might have identified issues earlier and avoided the need to suspend the pilot.
What can we learn from this rollout? You must be willing to reevaluate progress and slow down when necessary. When employees are the point of failure, retraining or more in-depth training is essential. Clear documentation and education on new processes should happen well before implementation, not during it. Running practice scenarios is also a powerful way to build employee confidence ahead of change.
If this sounds familiar in your own organization, you are not alone. Rolling out operational changes while maintaining business as usual is challenging, especially at scale. If you need help overhauling your operations or managing change more effectively, reach out to Beck Insights to learn how we can help keep your business on track.
