Travelers may have to wait a bit longer for the highly anticipated rollout of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).
According to a report by the Financial Times, the European Union is considering delaying the system's launch until next year. Nonetheless, the EU still states that ETIAS will begin operations in the last quarter of 2026.
"The European Union will inform about the specific date for the start of ETIAS several months prior to its launch," the website states.
The latest news of a potential pushback comes after numerous delays over recent years.
Reports of a delayed ETIAS rollout also come amid widespread travel headaches across Europe being blamed on the EU's new electronic entry/exit system (EES).
Europe's airlines and airports continue to sound the alarm over the implementation of the EES, urging authorities to suspend the requirements heading into the peak summer travel period.
"The current implementation of the EES is creating severe operational consequences, disrupting passengers and putting border authorities, airports and airlines under unsustainable pressure," Airports Council International (ACI) Europe said in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this month. "We therefore urge your immediate intervention before the situation deteriorates further during the peak summer travel season."
Launched in April, EES requires non-EU travelers to provide fingerprints and facial biometrics at some European borders.
Once implemented, ETIAS will require visitors from visa-exempt nations, including the United States and Canada, to pay a $23 fee to obtain pre-travel screening approval before entering the 30 European countries.
Travelers who obtain ETIAS will be good to go for three years or until their passport expires.
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