Schiphol adds 200 staff to smooth rollout of new EU entry/exit system

Schiphol Airport is deploying 200 new employees to prevent the introduction of a new European registration system from causing chaos and longer queues. Starting Monday, they will assist non-EU passengers entering the Schengen area, including helping them operate the new self-service travel system.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is being implemented in 29 countries to strengthen border control. It replaces the traditional passport-stamping process. Currently, the EU lacks precise data on how many people stay in the Schengen area for a short period and leave on time. The new system aims to address this and applies only to travelers staying up to 90 days.

In the coming weeks, Schiphol will gradually bring more EES devices online, program manager Elise de Kok told journalists Wednesday. Passengers entering the Schengen area will scan their passports, after which the system will capture their face and fingerprints before they proceed to passport control. De Kok said Schiphol has sufficient staff to handle the system, noting that employees are already gaining experience in other airport roles.

The Netherlands will roll out the new registration system gradually until April 10 next year. In the meantime, passports will still be manually stamped. Rik Rovers, acting head of department at the Ministry of Asylum and Migration, estimates that eventually 15,000 to 20,000 passengers per day at Schiphol will use the system. Initially, however, only a few dozen passengers per day are expected as authorities test the process. “We need to ensure everything works correctly and identify any issues. In December, we will process larger volumes,” Rovers said.

The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee expects first-time registrants to take longer to complete the process. The exact duration will depend on passenger volume and individual travelers.

Most Dutch airports will begin a gradual rollout of the new system starting Monday. The system has already been implemented at locations including Eemshaven, the port of IJmuiden, and several other coastal border crossings.