Europe’s New Entry/Exit System Is a Mess, and It’s Not Going Away

Europe’s New Entry/Exit System Is a Mess, and It’s Not Going Away

Christine Chung

European leaders are standing firm on a security program that has led to long lines, confusion and missed flights at airports this summer, despite an urgent plea from the aviation industry to suspend it.

The Entry/Exit System, or E.E.S., requires members of the 29-country Schengen open-border area to collect biometrics like face photos and fingerprints from travelers upon arrival and to confirm their identities upon exit. 

Since the system took full effect in April, airports and airlines have reported widespread chaos — including hourslong security checkpoint lines and confusion over procedures — and have feared the headaches could worsen as peak travel season begins.

The problems led senior officials from the European aviation industry last week to ask the European Union to suspend the E.E.S. requirement this summer. The system is “undermining Europe’s reputation, European tourism and connectivity,” said the open letter to the president of the European Commission.

But on Tuesday, European Commission leaders officially rejected the request in a meeting with industry stakeholders, saying that the new system’s security advantages outweighed its inconveniences.

The system “makes E.U. citizens more secure while keeping the impact for legitimate non-E.U. travelers to a minimum,” a European Commission spokesperson said in a statement after the meeting, noting that the system had already registered 110 million trips and refused 45,000 visitors.

E.E.S. is used in the 29-country Schengen area, which includes 25 European Union members as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. 

The system applies to most visitors to those countries who are traveling for a short stay (up to 90 days in a 180-day period), regardless of whether they have a visa.

Since the system began to roll out across Europe in October, travelers have encountered an inconsistent set of procedures, taking anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Some airports have self-service kiosks where travelers can register their biometrics. At others, border control officers manually register travelers. Only two countries, Sweden and Portugal, currently allow travelers to use a dedicated app. E.E.S. is intended to be an automated system, eventually.

“At present, the system is failing to deliver one of its core objectives: facilitating efficient border crossings while maintaining the smooth functioning of Europe’s transport network,” the aviation officials wrote in the open letter urging the European Union to act.

Under the current rules, E.E.S. can be only partly suspended, allowing airports to bypass biometrics collection for six hours at a time, though they must still register traveler information, a European Commission spokesperson said. The ability to relax the rules isn’t enough to make a real dent in the delays, the aviation industry officials said. They have unsuccessfully sought greater flexibility to pause the system and revert to standard passport stamping until there is increased border control staffing and consistency for how passengers are registered.

A survey conducted among 85 airports in 20 member states by Airports Council International, whose European director general is one of the signatories of the open letter, found that at peak times in June, passengers could spend up to five hours waiting at the airport to enter a country. And though the system is supposed to store traveler data for three years, some visitors said they had been repeatedly asked to submit their biometrics, causing delays.

Some people have posted on social media to say that all the problems have them reconsidering travel to Europe.

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How the Global Economy Became the World’s Most Dangerous Battlefield

How the Global Economy Became the World’s Most Dangerous Battlefield

Madge Waggy

Nobody remembers the exact day it began because, unlike conventional wars, there was no universally recognized starting point. No emergency broadcasts interrupted television programming, no fighter aircraft appeared over national capitals, and no governments announced the commencement of hostilities before the international community. Financial markets opened precisely on schedule, cargo vessels continued crossing strategic maritime corridors, supermarkets replenished their shelves overnight, and millions of people began another ordinary working day convinced that the machinery of globalization remained fundamentally unchanged. The remarkable normality of daily life concealed a far less reassuring reality: the international economy had quietly entered a period in which commercial interdependence was no longer regarded as an unquestionable guarantee of stability but increasingly as a potential source of strategic vulnerability.

This transformation did not emerge from a single geopolitical crisis nor from one spectacular economic collapse. Rather, it materialized through hundreds of seemingly isolated decisions that, when observed individually, appeared rational and almost insignificant. Governments introduced export controls on advanced semiconductor technologies. Central banks intensified discussions concerning monetary resilience.

The emergence of digital financial technologies has further intensified this competition. Central bank digital currencies, algorithmic trading systems, artificial intelligence applied to financial modelling, and increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity capabilities are reshaping the operational landscape of international finance at extraordinary speed. What once required weeks of diplomatic negotiation or prolonged commercial restructuring can now unfold through automated transactions executed within milliseconds across interconnected global markets. Financial influence has consequently become faster, more adaptive, and considerably more complex than at any previous moment in economic history.

The accelerating redistribution of economic influence suggests that the international system is no longer moving toward a simple transition of power from one dominant nation to another. Instead, it is evolving into something considerably more intricate—a fragmented landscape where influence is dispersed across technology, finance, industrial capacity, strategic resources, scientific innovation, demographic resilience, and institutional credibility. Such an environment rewards adaptability rather than absolute dominance, encouraging governments to reconsider assumptions that remained largely uncontested throughout the first decades of globalization.

Perhaps the most profound misconception surrounding contemporary international competition is the belief that the defining struggle of this century will ultimately be decided through military superiority alone. Military capability undoubtedly remains an indispensable component of national security, yet modern prosperity depends upon an ecosystem far broader than conventional defence.

Nations increasingly compete to attract scientific talent, dominate artificial intelligence, secure uninterrupted energy supplies, establish leadership in quantum computing, expand advanced manufacturing, protect digital infrastructure, and preserve the confidence of international investors whose decisions can redirect trillions of dollars with remarkable speed. 

 In many respects, the decisive contest has already shifted from the battlefield to the laboratory, from naval fleets to semiconductor fabrication facilities, and from territorial occupation to technological leadership.

This transition is quietly redefining the very meaning of sovereignty. Throughout much of modern history, independence implied the ability to defend territorial borders and maintain political authority within them. Today, sovereignty has acquired additional dimensions that extend far beyond geography. 

A nation incapable of producing advanced technologies, securing strategic resources, protecting digital infrastructure, or maintaining resilient supply chains may possess complete political independence while remaining economically vulnerable to decisions taken thousands of kilometres beyond its borders. 

The paradox is striking: globalization connected the world more comprehensively than at any previous moment in history, yet that same interconnectedness has simultaneously exposed how fragile excessive dependence can become once political priorities begin to diverge.

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Transhumanism: The Latest Attempt To Transcend The Limits Established By God

Transhumanism: The Latest Attempt To Transcend The Limits Established By God

Mark Henry

What would you think if someone told you they could instantly make you as smart as AI? What if they said they could make you immune to all diseases or could cure any of your disabilities? What if they insisted your life could be extended by tens, hundreds, or even thousands of years? Would you respond with disbelief, or do you think it would be possible? Taking it a step further… would you ever contemplate accepting such incredible offers?

I realize these claims may sound far-fetched, like something from science fiction, but they reflect the very goals pursued by transhumanists. For readers unfamiliar with the term, transhumanism means going beyond the human condition—“trans” comes from Latin and means “beyond,” “across,” or “on the other side of,” while “human” refers to mankind. In short, transhumanism (often abbreviated as “H+”) is a movement that aims to use modern technology to enhance and transform humanity.  

Whether it is through genetic engineering, robotics, artificial intelligence, or future technology, the aim of transhumanism is the fundamental alteration of the human species to go beyond its current condition and become something more, something better, potentially reaching a state that could be considered “post-human.” 

In transhumanist thought, a post-human is a being whose physical, intellectual, or psychological capacities have been enhanced so dramatically that they can no longer be considered fully human by present-day standards.

The driving belief behind these aspirations is that humanity is on the verge of acquiring the tools necessary to direct its own “evolution,” overcoming limitations such as aging, disease, and a finite mind. While many of transhumanism’s goals appear noble—such as curing disease and alleviating suffering—the movement ultimately raises profound questions about what it means to be human and whether mankind should seek to transcend the limits established by God.

For those who may think this is purely theoretical, the reality is technologies required to achieve these transhumanist dreams are already in development today. For example, gene editing has become faster, cheaper, and more efficient because of what’s known as CRISPR-Cas9 technology. This innovation utilizes an enzyme that can modify DNA at specific, targeted locations. In doing so, genetic modification has become almost as easy as updating computer software and opens the door to unimaginable breakthroughs such as gene therapy or finding cures for diseases. Likewise, companies like Neuralink are developing implantable brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) capable of recording and decoding brain activity, which allows users to control computers and robotic devices using only their thoughts.  

So, what does this mean practically? How do developments like these help overcome barriers like restricted lifespans and finite intelligence? From the standpoint of transhumanists, the question is really, how don’t they help? Just imagine if someone needing an organ transplant could have one artificially grown on demand, designed to match their own genetics? Or picture a future where cancer cells could be specifically targeted and destroyed effectively curing someone of this horrible disease. Envision a future where someone’s brain could be connected to a computer and all their thoughts, memories, and knowledge could be downloaded and stored indefinitely, or even scarier still, re-uploaded into a new artificially created body? It all sounds crazy, right?! Like something out of the movie Avatar, Surrogates, or Bicentennial Man. 

While these kinds of breakthroughs may sound far-fetched to some, should current trends continue, many transhumanists believe technologies once considered science fiction may eventually become possible. Scientists have already successfully grown human bladders and windpipes using patients’ own cells. Brain-computer interfaces can already translate neural activity into synthetic speech, move a computer cursor, type text, browse the internet, and more. These are only some of the incredible accomplishments of technology already in existence. If this can be done now, imagine what will be possible in the next five, ten, or twenty years!  

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US military has completed a round of airstrikes in Iran after explosions heard in country's south

US military has completed a round of airstrikes in Iran after explosions heard in country's south

ESTHER DAVIS

The US military has completed a round of strikes in Iranwhich began on Wednesday evening, with explosions reported in the country's southern regions.

"US Central Command forces completed an additional round of strikes against Iran, July 8, to further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz," US CENTCOM said in a statement on X/Twitter.

"CENTCOM forces hit approximately 80 Iranian military targets July 7, including more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats, to impose heavy costs for Iran violating the ceasefire by attacking three commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz."

Early on Thursday morning, shortly after the explosions were heard in southern Iran, CENTCOM claimed responsibility for the strikes in a post on X, saying the objective was "to further degrade [Iran's] ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."

Thursday's US strikes against Iran were slated to be greater in number than the ones carried out on Tuesday, a US official told Reuters. The strikes took place shortly after President Donald Trump declared that the Memorandum of Understanding with Tehran "is over."

Iranian semi-official news agency Mehr reported that air defenses were activated in southern Iran after explosions were heard in the cities of Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Konarak, and Chabahar.

Iranian state media, IRNA, reported that shrapnel from the US attacks struck a hospital and hit power lines in Chabahar, with the semi-official Nour News adding that the Iranian armed forces are preparing to launch a "massive attack" on US army bases in the region shortly.

US strikes targeted a maritime traffic control tower

Attacks targeted a maritime traffic control tower and depot in the port city of Chabahar, semi-official news agency Fars reported.

In another post on Truth Social, Trump reposted an X post which stated that "US strikes indeed targeted Iranshahr Airport in the southeastern Iranian city of Iranshahr," adding that the airport is "partially utilized by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force."Local Iranian news reported that the US strikes on Bushehr didn't cause any damage to the nuclear power plant.

The US notified Israeli officials ahead of the attack on Iran, KAN reported.

RT editor-in-chief warns Europe: ‘You’re playing with fire,’

‘You’re playing with fire,’ RT editor-in-chief warns Europe

RT

Europe is “playing with fire” as it assists Ukraine in strikes deep into Russia, RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan has said, warning Kiev’s Western backers that Moscow may have no other choice other than to respond with force.

In a lengthy interview with Die Weltwoche's Roger Koeppel on Wednesday,Simonyan said, “it is not Ukraine that is bringing the war to Moscow” but rather Europe, as Kiev is incapable of conducting attacks without foreign aid and intelligence.

Simonyan warned that Moscow’s patience is running thin as drones, missiles, flight disruptions, and fuel shortages increasingly affect civilians in Russia.

“People are afraid to sleep at night… Where is the limit of this hardship, when the people will say, ‘Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin], we have to respond! I don’t know, but I think it is very close. Very close. Right now, you are playing with fire.”