Traveling in Europe: this big change that also concerns Moroccans

The European Commission has announced the end of stamps on the passports of Moroccan tourists and those from other non-European countries, which will make way for the establishment of a new electronic control system for entry and exit from European Union countries.

After resolving IT issues and complications related to the installation of the automated barriers required at all borders, the European Commission has officially confirmed the launch of a new system to control entries and exits from the territory of the European Union (EU) – initially planned for 2022 – from 10 November 2024. This involves replacing stamps – those patterns printed on passports to signify the passage of a person into a country – with electronic control, similar to those already intended for EU citizens, the European Commission announced. The Figaro. Thus, non-European tourists will have to register in the system, called the EES (for Entry/Exit System, in English). Registration is done by: scanning the passport on an automatic self-service terminal, each time the traveler enters the territory from a foreign country (whether or not they hold a visa). The traveler’s name will be recorded, as well as their biometric data, the date and place of entry and exit. It is also planned that facial scans and fingerprints will be taken every three years. “Stored in a secure database, the information of people coming from the United States or Morocco, for example, will be kept for three years, avoiding travelers having to register every year,” explains the French daily.