Romania, alongside other European Union member states, will operationalise, as of 12 October, the Entry/Exit System (EES), a modern control instrument at the external border of the Schengen Area.

'The EES is an electronic system which records the date and place of entry and exit for non-EU nationals admitted for short stays - including citizens of the Republic of Moldova - along with their alphanumeric and biometric data (facial image and four fingerprints) and it also calculates the duration of the authorised stay. The system does not restrict existing travel rights but provides a faster and more secure way to verify travellers, gradually replacing the stamping of travel documents,' a release of the Inspectorate General of the Border Police (IGPF) sent to AGERPRES on Monday informs.

The purpose of implementing this system is to ensure a safer, faster and more efficient border control process, aimed at reducing waiting times and contributing to better protection of the European Union's external borders.

Following decisions at the European level, the EES will be implemented progressively starting 12 October, with Romania implementing the system in stages, initially at selected border crossing points, then gradually expanding it until full implementation across the entire external border, within a maximum of 170 calendar days.

During the phased implementation period, the travel documents of the person concerned will continue to be stamped upon entry and exit, manual stamping will cease once the system becomes fully operational.

'When a non-EU national undergoes border control, they present their passport and, if applicable, other required documents (for example, a residence permit or a local border traffic permit). The border police officer is entitled to verify the purpose and duration of the journey, as well as proof of means of subsistence,' the quoted source showed.

At the first entry after the EES system becomes operational, biometric data - a facial photograph and four fingerprints - will be collected to create an individual file. During subsequent trips, border checks will be carried out using the biometric data already recorded, which will reduce waiting times compared to the initial registration.

If all legal conditions are met, entry into the country will be permitted and recorded electronically, and the border police officer will inform the person of their authorised length of stay. If, on the contrary, the conditions are not met, the refusal of entry will be recorded in the system and also communicated to the person.

The EES applies to third-country citizens (those not part of the European Union, with the exceptions mentioned by the regulation) who are admitted for a short stay (maximum 90 days within any 180-day period), including citizens of the Republic of Moldova, as well as non-EU nationals who are family members of an EU citizen and do not hold a residence permit.

Children under 12 years old and individuals for whom fingerprint collection is physically impossible are exempt from fingerprinting.

Non-EU nationals holding a residence permit or a long-stay visa issued by an EU member state, as well as family members of EU citizens holding a residence permit, are not subject to the EES.

'Data are stored in the system for a period of three years (or five years in cases of entry refusal or exceeding the authorised stay), in strict compliance with European data protection legislation. The persons concerned have the right to access, rectify and delete their data in accordance with the legal framework,' according to the IGPF.

In order to avoid delays during border checks, individuals exempt from EES implementation are asked to present, at the time of control, the supporting documents proving their status.

Additional details for travellers are available on the official European Union platform: (https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees\_en)(https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en). AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Alexandru Florea; EN - writing by: Rodica State)