Schengen reforms: How travel to EU will change for Ukrainians
Photo: Rules for Ukrainians entering the EU will change in 2025 (Getty Images)
The EU Council has adopted a law that will allow the phased implementation of the new digital border management system Entry/Exit (EES) over a period of six months. The new regime also applies to citizens of Ukraine, according to the EU Council.
According to the announcement, the EES system will digitally record entries and exits, as well as passport data, fingerprints, and facial images of citizens of third countries who come to EU countries for a short period.
Strengthening border protection and combating violations
Minister for Immigration and Integration Kaare Dybvad Bek noted that reliable protection of external borders is extremely important for the EU. The new Entry/Exit system will help ensure compliance with travel rules and enhance border security by making border control more efficient.
With the help of this system, border guards and law enforcement agencies will gain access to data that will allow them to verify the identity of travelers and track compliance with the length of stay in the Schengen Area. This will significantly reduce the likelihood of identity fraud and overstaying.
Key provisions of the new law
According to the new rules, EU member states will be able to implement the system gradually over 180 days. Some states will be able to launch EES fully from day one, others—in stages.
By the end of the transition period, all EU countries will be required to complete the registration of all persons in the system, including the collection of biometric data. Until the transition is complete, manual stamping in travel documents will be allowed.
In exceptional cases, for example, during high traffic at checkpoints, countries will be able to temporarily suspend the operation of the EES system partially or completely.
Next steps and launch date
The actual launch of the EES system will begin gradually from the date determined by the European Commission.
The initial EES regulation was adopted in 2017, which provided for the simultaneous start of the system's use by all countries. However, to avoid IT system overload and ensure a smooth launch, the European Commission proposed a phased implementation.
For this, a new regulation was needed, which allows for the gradual introduction of the system.
The European Parliament on July 8 finally approved the introduction of the new Entry/Exit system (EES) at the EU’s external borders.
The Schengen Area is a space without internal border controls between European countries that have signed and implemented the Schengen Agreement. Citizens and travelers can move freely between these countries without passport control at the borders. As of July 2025, the Schengen Area includes 29 countries.
Cyprus will resolve all technical issues necessary for joining the Schengen Area by the end of 2025.
