ETIAS Past, Present and Future

A CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF ETIAS

The European Commission suggested establishing a European Travel Information and Authorization System, or ETIAS, in November 2016. The system’s purpose is to reinforce and improve security checks on visitors from visa-free nations.

ETIAS will be a fully automated IT system controlled by the eu-Lisa Agency, which manages large-scale IT systems in the fields of security, freedom, and justice. President Jean-Claude Juncker emphasised the importance of an automated system that would contribute to the security of the Schengen Zone’s external borders during his State of the Union address in 2016.

ETIAS has been in development for a long time. We created a timeline of ETIAS’s past, present, and future, as well as what this means for foreign visitors.

You can find full information regarding the events that have transpired in relation to ETIAS and its implementation below.

2022

ETIAS was supposed to go live by the end of 2023, however it has subsequently been pushed back to November 2023.

APRIL 16TH, 2019

The European Commission applauds the passage of new legislation that would deny terrorists and criminals the tools and space to operate. The European Union has endorsed two Security Union legislative measures on interoperability and explosive precursors proposed by the Commission. The purpose of these initiatives is to enable EU information systems, particularly ETIAS, to collaborate more intelligently and efficiently.

SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2018

The rule establishing the ETIAS System is approved by the European Council. “ETIAS is a crucial instrument to enhance the control of the EU’s external border and the safety of our citizens,” stated Austrian Interior Minister Herbert Kickl. It will allow us to detect people who may represent a security risk before they enter the European Union and deny them travel authorisation.” Following this adoption, the adopted rule will be signed by the Council and the European Parliament.

JULY 5TH, 2018

The Commission applauds the European Parliament’s endorsement of the ETIAS system and the establishment of a stronger eu-LISA Agency. The final agreement to construct the ETIAS system is reached.

JULY 5TH, 2018

The ETIAS Regulation is approved with 494 votes in favour, 115 votes opposed, and 30 abstentions. This follows the approval of the Parliament. The legislation will subsequently be formalised by the Council of Ministers and published in the Official Journal.

APRIL 25TH, 2018

Julian King, European Commissioner for Security Union, reports that a Political Consensus on ETIAS has been established. The Commission welcomes the political agreement on the European Travel Information and Authorization System, which will strengthen and secure the Union.

DECEMBER 12TH, 2017

The EU Commission recommended closing information gaps by updating EU information systems for security, border, and migration management and making them more efficient in their collaboration. These enhancements and upgrades would have a direct impact on ETIAS.

OCTOBER 19TH, 2017

ETIAS development expenditures are expected to be 212,1 million Euros. The Civil Liberties Committee approved the negotiating mandate by a vote of 39 to 13, with one abstention.

JUNE 29TH, 2017

The European Commission commits to ensuring interoperability and addressing current gaps in EU information systems for security and border control. The Commission recommends strengthening the mandate of the EU Agency, which handles large-scale security systems like Eurodac. They also suggest establishing a consolidated ECRIS-Third Country National System, a centralised database that will assist member states in verifying non-EU individuals’ convictions.

MAY 16TH, 2017

The European Commission gives a report on progress toward a functional Security Union.

• Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos said: “The value of our security information is maximised when our systems talk to each other. The complex and fragmented systems we have today make us vulnerable. Actionable information is not always available for the law enforcement officials that need it. Today, we present a clear vision on how to act to correct this. To connect the dots and to eliminate blind spots to step up the security of our citizens across the EU.“
• Commissioner for the Security Union Julian King said: “The recent tragic attacks in Europe have highlighted the importance of effective information sharing between Member State authorities. The approach we are outlining today sets out a targeted and intelligent way of using the existing data to best effect. What we propose would be a step-change in the way we manage data for security, helping national authorities better addressing transnational threats and detecting terrorists who act across borders.“

NOVEMBER 16TH, 2016

The European Parliament and the Council’s first proposal for a rule creating a European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) and revising regulations. This proposal is published by the European Commission.

SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2016

President Juncker declares in his State of the Union Address that a mechanism is required and would be established to safeguard EU citizens. We must be aware of who is crossing our borders. We will propose an automated approach to identify who will be authorised to go to Europe by November. This way, we’ll know who’s coming to Europe before they arrive.

BEFORE ETIAS

The necessity for ETIAS implementation is simply focused on defending the EU’s external borders. Long before ETIAS, however, the area took the first step toward a single external border management strategy. On June 14, 1985, five European nations signed the Schengen Agreement, an international treaty. The Agreement was supplemented in 1990 by the Schengen Convention, which proposed the abolition of all systematic international controls and a common visa policy.

The Schengen Area was established, and it operates as a single state for the purposes of international travel, with external border controls for third-country nationals entering and exiting the region. The Schengen Area currently has 26 member states, and ETIAS will be required for citizens of more than 50 eligible countries.

THE FUTURE OF ETIAS

The eu-Lisa Agency, which already administers the operations of EU information systems SIS II, VIS, and Eurodac, is now developing ETIAS. ETIAS is projected to be operational by November 2023.

Once accessible, qualified passengers can fill out an online application with their personal information, contact information, country of first intended entrance, and passport information. Applications should be processed swiftly. Once accepted, the ETIAS visa waiver will be valid for three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.