The Irish Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, announced on Friday 3 July that, since its entry into force in April 2026, the Entry/Exit System had made it possible to apprehend 1,000 people at the external borders of the European Union.
“Since it was introduced, around 110 million people have used it. (…) Around 1,000 people identified as being a danger to the EU have been apprehended and arrested thanks to this system. I therefore consider it effective in protecting the security of the European Union”, Jim O’Callaghan explained after discussing it with European Commissioner Magnus Brunner. His country is not part of the Schengen area of free movement of persons.
The college of Commissioners was in Cork on Friday for working meetings as part of the launch of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Although the Entry/Exit System appears to be working, it is causing major queues at the borders. On Monday 29 June, the three main associations of European airlines - A4E, ACI EUROPE and IATA - again raised the alarm on the subject (see EUROPE 13900/22).
“There is also a suspension mechanism. But, after discussing it with Commissioner Brunner, I believe that, given its objective and its effectiveness, it is an effective system”, Jim O’Callaghan insisted.
Asked about the matter at a press conference with the Irish Prime Minister, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen explained that the EU institution was working with the Member States to resolve the technical problems encountered. “There’s still quite a lot of work to do to have these technical issues solved”, she nevertheless acknowledged. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)