The launch of an Entry/Exit System (EES), which was planned for May 2022, will be delayed due to a contractor being unable to deliver the platform connecting the carriers until October 2022. Moreover, the company is said to have made mistakes in software development. According to Frontex Director Fabrice Leggeri, the EES would require 1 892 official land, air and sea border crossings to be equipped with new biometric technology. In addition to structural changes, the staff would have to take on new tasks and be trained accordingly.

1. Which contractor is specifically responsible for the delay in launching the EES, and precisely what errors were made according to the information available?

2. What date does the Commission consider realistic for the launch of the EES, and what impact is the delay having on the synchronised launch of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and new functions of the Schengen Information System?

3. What technology must be put in place for the EES at each official land, air and sea border crossing, and what is the Commission’s estimate of the cost of these decentralised facilities and systems alone?