EU to implement new entry-exit system from April 10

The European Union (EU) will introduce the mandatory Carrier Interface application from 10th April to verify travellers’ eligibility to enter Schengen countries.

Operators are in the final stages of technical and operational preparation, while the eu-LISA Carrier Working Group (CWG) and the European Commission continue working through remaining technical and implementation issues.

Those with potential EU Schengen operations should ensure they are registered and able to interact with eu-LISA systems before it goes live, reported WAM News.

The EU’s border modernisation is rolling out in phases. 

First comes entry/exit system (EES) modernisation, then Carrier Interface queries and later ETIAS, the electronic travel authorisation requirement for visa-exempt travellers.

EES will replace manual passport stamping with digital tracking of entry, exit and overstay status for third-country nationals travelling on short-stay visas. 

It does not create new visa requirements or change existing visa exemptions.

ETIAS, expected later in 2026, will apply to visa-exempt travellers and function much like the US ESTA programme.

Travellers will be responsible for obtaining authorisation, but once enforcement begins, operators will be responsible for verifying it before boarding.

A support and onboarding tool for carriers, known as COBST, has also been launched as the main communication channel between operators and eu-LISA, alongside the voluntary use of the Carrier Interface via a web portal and mobile applications.