The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has expressed its concern about the impact that the full implementation of the Entry and Exit System (EES, by its acronym in English) may have on the fluidity of traffic in European maritime ports, especially with the start of the summer season.
The organization has conveyed this concern in light of the congestion problems recorded at the port of Dover during the May bank holiday, when significant delays occurred for passengers and vehicles. The situation only normalized after the French authorities activated the flexibility mechanisms provided for in the applicable legal framework, which allowed for a temporary relaxation of the EES controls. However, severe congestion had already caused considerable disruptions for passengers, commercial traffic, and local communities in the area.
The Secretary General of ESPO, Isabelle Ryckbost, has indicated that the summer will be the first real stress test of the EES for some of the key maritime crossing points of the Schengen border, and has demanded that the flexibilities provided for in the regulations be proactively activated in the face of exceptional but foreseeable circumstances, without waiting for extreme congestion to occur. "We must ensure that the long-awaited holiday season does not become a period of stress for families and professional drivers alike," she stated.
In this context, European ports are calling for the proactive use of the flexibilities contemplated in the regulatory framework that governs the EES controls, particularly when traffic forecasts indicate a high risk of severe congestion. ESPO also requests that clear instructions be provided to the competent authorities responsible for carrying out these controls throughout the Schengen area.
The Entry and Exit System is an electronic register of the European Union that controls border crossings of nationals from third countries at crossing points in the Schengen area, including maritime ports. Its implementation, planned for years, directly affects the operations of passenger terminals in ports with significant international traffic.
ESPO has expressed its willingness to continue collaborating with the European Commission and the national competent authorities to ensure an orderly implementation of the EES that preserves the fluidity of passenger traffic in maritime ports during the upcoming high season.