Brussels, May 21, 2026 (Lusa) - The European Commission denies that airport queues in Portugal are due to the new European Union (EU) border Entry/Exit System (EES), noting that registration processing takes just over one minute on average.
“We are aware of the media reports and are in contact with Portugal, as with all member states, regarding the EES implementation,” an official source from the EU executive said in a written response to Lusa.
“Several causes can create delays, which are often unrelated to the operation of the EES.”
The Commission said, “This is also the case here.”
“The Commission will remain in contact with Portugal on this matter and will continue providing the necessary support. Challenges faced in Portugal, including longer wait times, are not related to any operational problems with the Entry/Exit System,” the institution said.
European Commission data sent to Lusa shows that, “in most member states, first-time registration processing takes, on average, just over one minute.”
“Flexibilities and alternative procedures in EU legislation can resolve, and are resolving, any exceptional situations. Member states must ensure the correct implementation of the EES on the ground, while the commission maintains contact with all member states […] and will continue to provide the necessary support,” the commission said.
The new system has registered nearly 66 million entries and exits since October 2025, alongside more than 32,000 entry refusals, which identified more than 800 people as threats to EU security.
The EES is a digital system to electronically register the entry and exit of third-country citizens in the Schengen free-movement area, replacing manual stamps with biometric and digital records.
The system allows member states to temporarily use alternative procedures, including manual registration and passport stamps, during technical failures until normal operations resume.
The commission said in its response to Lusa that member states must also ensure smooth border flows by providing an adequate number of border officers, automated solutions such as self-service kiosks and electronic gates (e-gates), as well as using the 'Travel to Europe' pre-registration app.
The commission concluded that this was particularly important at high-traffic border crossing points.
The response comes as long queues formed at airports in Lisbon, Porto and Faro.
Authorities announced on Monday that the Public Security Police (PSP) would reinforce Portugal’s airports with 360 officers in July, a measure aimed at reducing wait times for passengers from outside the Schengen area.
The Schengen area is the world’s most visited destination, accounting for 40% of global international travel.
Waiting times at airports have increased since the new European border control system began operating in October 2025 in Portugal and other Schengen area countries, particularly at Lisbon airport, where passengers sometimes wait for several hours.
The European Commission conducted a surprise inspection of Portugal's air and sea borders in December 2025, uncovering “serious deficiencies” in border controls, particularly at Lisbon airport.
The final report identified 14 critical failures linked to human resources, a lack of equipment and the systematic simplification of security procedures.
ANE/LYT // ADB.
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