Stamping out archaic practices

Buoyed by news that the EU plans to launch a new and automated system later this year to keep track of third-country travelers entering the EU. The system will replace the current manual passport stamping process and provide more reliable data on border crossings. The creatively named Entry/Exit system, or EES, will record specific data on travelers including name, fingerprints, facial image, and travel document information. Once the EES is fully operational, travelers who can enter the Schengen Area visa-free will be required to obtain an electronic travel authorization through the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) for a fee of €7, valid for three years.

With the issue of fluidity at the Gibraltar/Spain border being as critical as it is, any technological solution that relieves any fluidity pressure points is welcome news indeed.  The fact that the world still stamps passports is anathema to the digital reality of life today.