EU Commission Postpones ETIAS Launch Date to May 2023

The European Commission has changed the launch date of ETIAS from the late 2022 to May 2023.

ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System and it describes an automated IT system to conduct advanced checks on individuals who want to travel to countries in the European Union. Its goal is to detect high epidemic risks, irregular migration risks, or other security risks by assessing each non-EU traveler before they arrive in the European Union.

This implies that non-EU travelers will have to submit an online form with contact details, travel documents, residence information, level of education, and other data to allow the evaluation following data protection principles. The system is meant to concede a travel authorization within minutes, although the process could take up to one month if further checks are needed.

All travelers who do not need a visa to travel to the Schengen area will be required to resort to ETIAS for travel authorization. Plus, they will have to pay a €7 fee.

The travel authorization provided by ETIAS will be a mandatory pre-condition to travel to the European Union from third countries, and it will be requested at external border crossing points of the European Union along with other travel documents.

According to the European Commission, ETIAS will allow countries in the Schengen area to “manage their borders more effectively” and “improve internal security”.

The system was approved by the European Parliament and the EU Council in 2016 and regulated in the 2018 ETIAS Regulation. It is currently being developed by the European Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security, and Justice (EU-LISA).