Passport stamps are badges of honour for many travellers, creating a nostalgic paper trail of their adventures.
But will soon be a thing of the past when entering the Schengen Area.
The new automated Entry/Exit System (EES), due to launch on 10 November 2024, will register non-EU visitors digitally, removing the need for physical stamps.
“EES will replace the current system of manual stamping of passports, which is time consuming, does not provide reliable data on border crossings and does not allow a systematic detection of overstayers,” reads a statement from the European Commission’s department for Migration and Home Affairs.
What is the EU Entry/Exit System (EES)?
The EES will be an automated IT system for registering travellers from third countries who are visa exempt or hold short-stay visas.
Each time a person crosses an EU external border (including Gibraltar's frontier), the system will register their name, type of travel document, biometric data (fingerprints and facial images) and the date and place of entry and exit. It will also record refusals of entry.
It is hoped the automated border control checks and self-service systems will improve security in the EU and be quicker for travellers. However, the airline industry and various countries have said a lack of preparation could cause teething problems when the system is introduced.
It was originally due to launch in 2022. Authorities have now announced it will launch on 10 November this year.
Under the new system, travellers with visa-free access to the Schengen Area will be required to obtain travel authorisation online through the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). This will launch in phases once the EES is operational.
So what does this mean for Gibraltar?
Post-Brexit, British citizens (Gibraltarian or otherwise) have been warned they must obtain passport stamps when they exit and enter the Schengen Area. This acts as proof that they have not overstayed their visa-free limit of 90 days in a 180-day period.
There has been a ‘friendly’ agreement that Gibraltarian Red Card holders haven’t required a stamp if not going further than the Campo de Gibraltar.
The new EES may have a slight negative impact on Red Card holders, as it's hard to see how this friendly agreement can remain. Red Card holders can expect to have their passports scanned everytime, with their movements being tracked every time they cross; thus having to stick to the 90 in 180 day rule.
However, for Blue or Turquoise Card holders, there could be significant advantages. No longer will their access into Spain be questioned and at the mercy of a Spanish Border Guard's mood; the passports will be scanned and - so long as the 90/180 day rule is adhered to (and there is no other flag on their passport prohibiting entry) - then they’re in.
This freedom to visit Spain whenever they like, will make residing in Gibraltar a lot more attractive for overseas British nationals. Our traditional employers that typically bring over staff from the UK, such as the gaming companies, the GHA or the financial institutions, will find it easier to attract these overseas staff once more. This should bring in much needed outside funding into (what has recently been) a slow property market; with staff renting initially and then buying property here if they decide to stay.
The property market in Gibraltar has slowed considerably recently, with everyone seemingly dependent upon other people selling their properties. A much needed cash injection from people OUTSIDE of this market can only be a good thing, and should finally see us lifted from our post-Brexit slowdown once and for all, treaty or no treaty.
