Border Delays Caused by the New European Union Entry/Exit System
歐盟新入境/出境系統導致邊境延誤
Introduction
The European Union's introduction of the Entry/Exit System (EES) has caused significant border delays for non-EU citizens, including people from the UK, across the Schengen Area.
歐盟推出的入境/出境系統 (EES) 導致包括英國人在內的非歐盟公民在整個申根區面臨嚴重的邊境延誤。
Main Body
The EES is a digital border management system designed to improve security by recording the biometric data—such as fingerprints and facial images—of non-EU travelers. Although the system started last October, it was fully expanded on April 10. The main problem is the initial registration process, as the time spent per passenger has increased from about 25 seconds to 90 seconds. Consequently, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned that queues could reach six hours during the busy summer season.
EES 是一個數位邊境管理系統，旨在透過記錄非歐盟旅客的生物特徵數據（例如指紋和面部圖像）來提高安全性。雖然該系統於去年十月開始運行，但直到四月十日才全面擴展。主要問題在於最初的登記程序，因為每位乘客花費的時間從約 25 秒增加到 90 秒。因此，國際航空運輸協會 (IATA) 警告，在繁忙的夏季旅遊旺季，排隊時間可能會達到六個小時。
Responses from different countries vary. Uku Sarekanno from Frontex emphasized that while some states have enough resources to manage the change, others are still struggling. He suggested that the system might take one to two years to become stable. For example, in Belgium, authorities tried to reduce crowds by pausing biometric collection in March, but Brussels Airport still reports long delays. CEO Arnaud Feist asserted that these problems are caused by a lack of staff at border control.
各國的反應不一。Frontex 的 Uku Sarekanno 強調，雖然部分國家有足夠資源應對此次變革，但其他國家仍在掙扎。他建議該系統可能需要一到兩年時間才能趨於穩定。例如在比利時，當局在三月份嘗試暫停收集生物特徵以減少擁擠，但布魯塞爾機場仍報告有長時間延誤。執行長 Arnaud Feist 斷言，這些問題是由於邊境管制人員不足造成的。
Industry leaders are very concerned about these operational issues. IATA Vice President Rafael Schvartzman criticized the current management of aviation and suggested that checks should be paused during peak times. Similarly, Wizz Air UK has advised passengers to arrive at airports three hours before their flight to avoid missing it. Furthermore, a Booking.com survey shows that 59% of UK travelers expect delays, and nearly half are worried about missing their flights.
業界領袖對這些營運問題非常擔心。IATA 副會長 Rafael Schvartzman 批評目前的航空管理，並建議在高峰時段暫停檢查。同樣地，Wizz Air UK 建議乘客在航班起飛前三小時到達機場，以避免錯過航班。此外，Booking.com 的調查顯示，59% 的英國旅客預期會有延誤，且近半數人擔心會錯過航班。
Conclusion
The EES continues to cause instability at several European borders, and it is not expected to be fully stable for a few years.
EES 繼續導致數個歐洲邊境出現不穩定情況，預計需要幾年時間才能完全穩定。
Vocabulary Learning
⚡ The 'Cause & Effect' Power-Up
At A2, you usually say "This happened, so that happened" using basic words like so or because. To reach B2, you need to connect ideas using 'Logical Bridge Words'. These make you sound professional and precise.
🚀 From Basic to B2
Look at how the article connects a problem to a result. Instead of using 'so', it uses these advanced markers:
- Consequently "The time spent per passenger has increased... Consequently, the IATA has warned that queues could reach six hours."
- Furthermore "Wizz Air advised passengers to arrive early. Furthermore, a survey shows 59% expect delays."
🛠️ How to use them
| A2 Style (Simple) | B2 Style (Advanced) | Why it's better |
|---|---|---|
| It is raining, so I am late. | It is raining; consequently, I am late. | It sounds formal and logical. |
| I like coffee. Also, I like tea. | I like coffee; furthermore, I like tea. | It adds a strong layer of extra info. |
💡 Pro Tip: The Punctuation Secret
Notice that Consequently and Furthermore are often followed by a comma ( , ).
Wrong: Consequently I am late. $ Right: Consequently**,** I am late.
🔍 Spotting the 'Action' Verbs
To move beyond A2, stop using 'say' for everything. The article uses Reporting Verbs to show the speaker's intention:
- Emphasized (To show something is important)
- Asserted (To state something strongly/confidently)
- Criticized (To say something is bad)
Try replacing "He said it is a problem" with "He asserted that it is a problem" to instantly sound more like a B2 speaker.