ESS still only part-time operation.
Passed through Lisbon schengen border a couple of days ago, no waiting,no biometrics being taken.
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next, a new task force to tackle the inefficiency of the former task force..
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Non-Schengen exit today. No EES. Some malfunctioning at the old e-gates but no line for manual and lots of border staff. Almost all of the booths were manned which I’ve never seen.
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Clearly all hands on deck for the much-publicised “task force” 
.
The old e-gates are highly unreliable and were never able to read my passport to let me leave the country automatically so I stopped bothering to queue for them as I’d only have to join the manual queue anyway. The new e-gates are much more reliable and I have confidence in them with my passport either way. I don’t know why they kept the old machines. Everybody knows they are dodgy.
Returned to PT on Sunday. Still old e-gates.
I’ve been through schengen border a few times in past 10 days, in Lisbon & Madrid, no sign of ESS system in use, just usual e-gates (Lisbon) manual service (Madrid).
Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg the same this weekend… machines waiting to be used.
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Good article, especially:
As Warren Buffet said: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”
But I’m finding this comment on the article a tad hard to believe 
Empowered Startups
We have a contrary view as we are seeing our HQA clients get their permits in days and weeks (many in less than a month). We think AIMA is just prioritzing and processing the high human capital talent over the passive rent-seekers in Golden Visa funds.
Empowered Startups has a monopoly on their particular path to HQA so they’re strongly incentivized to sell investments in their startups, but they’re subject to higher stay requirements and path to citizenship is as dodgy as GV.
Also their idea of “human capital” is AFAIK anyone willing to drop money into a startup which they’re unlikely to get back. So its just about money like GV, but the part they like vs GV is being able to burn the investor’s money instead of providing a return!
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…so now who’s the “rent-seeker,” eh Empowered?
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Another cross-ministerial task force was created to address the chaos at Lisbon airport … sigh …
https://www.portugalresident.com/queues-at-lisbon-airport-an-ongoing-national-embarrassment/
“We are currently monitoring this issue very closely. We have five ministers directly involved, we are looking at the data on a day-to-day basis to see how long it takes to get through border control in Lisbon (…)”, he said.
“The root” of the problem “is clear” and is related to “the lack of PSP (public security police) officers”, compounded by “a difficulty and instability from a technological point of view, especially at the “e-gates”’ and, thirdly, “a slowing down of the system”.
The challenge, he said, is to have the situation resolved by June.
“It is a very serious problem, which is beyond our control,” José Luís Arnaut said, noting that, just as ANA is required to meet minimum service requirements in its concession contract, the same “has been attempted for public services” (provided by the government) but “has never come to fruition”.
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I’d still pack a lunch if you’re trying to enter/exit Humberto Delgado Airport 
Airports’ ‘rigorous, state-of-art’ border controls may be shelved for Christmas
Portugal’s Internal Security System (SSI) “acknowledges that European border controls for non-EU citizens may be suspended during Christmas to avoid queues at airports”, trumpet reports today – following weeks and months of stories on the interminable bottlenecks caused by these newly-adopted controls.
SSI indicates that “there is a possibility of suspending the Entry/Exit System (EES) during the Christmas period”, writes Lusa – stressing that it is a decision that “will be taken according to the information received from Portuguese airports”.
… Even the creation of an emergency task force “to manage this crisis situation” failed to bring the necessary results. Indeed, secretary of state for infrastructures Hugo Espírito Santo recently admitted that “the situation at the borders is an embarrassment for the government. There is no other name for it.”
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It is not a “serious problem” beyond their control.
- add a technical specialist to departures who can troubleshoot egate issues in real time.
- add a second concierge who can help people scan passports and point to empty gates.
- add a PSP agent after the gates who is trained to wave people through and tell them they don’t get a passport stamp and to move along.
In the few times I have been through there are always several egates not working, always several people who take 5 minutes to figure out how to get the scanner to work, and always several people not paying attention while a gate sits vacant for 30 seconds.
They also need a better process to screen people with delayed flights so they can go to the front of the queue. They likewise need to screen rude travelers who show up late and expect to cut to the front of the line. I’ve seen two near scuffles already from line jumpers.
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Five ministers directly involved seems like a very efficient way to get things done. Not.
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No, that IS how things get done around here, even if one works and four watch over him!..
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As if Lisbon didn’t have 3 hour queues long before EES was rolled out
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Sure, and what are they going to do to ensure the systems work in 90 days time? 
No Surprises, but clearly the EU as a whole isn’t ready for ETIAS this year.
Purchasing a 20 € ETIAS in advance from the comfort of your own home isn’t such a “hassle,” tbh.
Standing in a 2-3 hour EES biometrics queue at Tenerife, etc. the past few weeks is though. And “By April 2026, it is due to be mandatory at all major entry points.”
PS. I had EES-style 4-fingerprints + photo taken departing Funchal last Thursday, so like I said a few posts above seems it’s only Lisbon that’s been given a temporary EES waiver.
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