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Igor Taro Minister Siseministeerium

Meie: 12.03.2026 No. 10.1-13/246-1

Kiri

Austatud härra minister Edastame volinik Magnus Brunneri poolt Eesti esindusse, 04.03.2026, saadetud kirja numbriga Ares(2026)2386573. (EES Implementation in Member States and Schengen Associated Countries) Lugupidamisega Kyllike Sillaste-Elling alaline esindaja Lisa: Kiri 2 lk Birgit Paal [email protected]

Mr Igor Taro, Minister of Interior of Estonia

Brussels, 04/03/2026

Dear Minister,

The entry into operations of the Entry/Exit System (EES) on 12 October 2025 marked a

significant milestone for the Schengen area, representing an important shift towards a modern

and digital external border management, with an immensely positive impact on our security.

For the first time, Member States can access and share, in real time, information about who

crosses EU borders, when and where. In the first four months of the progressive start of the

system, Schengen states have registered over 30 million entries and exits, identifying more

than 4,000 persons who overstayed their permitted visa-required or visa-free stay. They have

issued more than 17,000 refusals of entry, preventing individuals who present a security or

migration risk from entering the EU. The EES has helped identify criminals, imposters, and

document fraudsters who attempted to cross EU borders under false identities or with

counterfeit documents. There has even been a case of an identification of a victim of

trafficking thanks to the collection of biometric data in the EES.

The benefits of the Entry/Exit System for our security as well as border and migration

management are undeniable. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the EES is fully

operational at all border crossing points across the Schengen area by the legal deadline of 10

April 2026. I emphasised this in my Schengen Scoreboard letter of last December,

encouraging Estonia to intensify efforts to implement the EES.

Based on the information available to us, the Commission has concerns about Estonia’s

compliance with certain legal requirements of the EES. This relates, in particular, to the

obligation to record biometric data to ensure that all files registered in the system are

complete.

With less than two months remaining until the full implementation of the EES across the

Schengen area, it is therefore essential to resolve all outstanding issues to ensure full

compliance with the legal requirements as well as the integrity of the system and procedures.

This is particularly important given the security and migration implications that the ongoing

developments in the Middle East may have for the EU.

Moreover, as the EES becomes fully operational, the stamping of travel documents will be

discontinued as of 10 April 2026. Therefore, it is crucial that all third country nationals are

registered in the EES as of that day, and that all Schengen states have in place adequate fall-

back procedures.

I would also like to share that the transport and travel industry have raised concerns about the

possible implications of the EES on their operations, particularly as regards potential

increases in waiting times for travellers. We have seen from experience that the determinant

factor in reducing waiting times is the resources deployed at border crossing points. With this

in mind, registration in the EES should be optimised through measures such as deployment of

adequate number of border guard personnel, sufficient infrastructure, e.g. self-service kiosks,

and the facilitation of pre-registration via an app developed by Frontex. I would therefore

strongly encourage you to consider these elements to help minimise potential disruptions for

travellers and industry operators.

I have requested my services to engage closely with all Schengen states in the run up to 10

April in order to ensure seamless transition to the full operation of the Entry/Exit system and

to provide support to address any remaining challenges, including with industry

representatives. I would like to invite you to designate a national representative to act as a

focal point for such coordination.

I look forward to our cooperation on this important matter. The Commission remains fully

committed to providing any necessary support, with the shared objective of ensuring that the

Entry/Exit System is implemented successfully for the benefit of our citizens.

Yours faithfully,

Magnus Brunner

Electronically signed on 04/03/2026 15:21 (UTC+01) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121