Brussels, Belgium: Thousands of people were refused entry to the EU and almost 700 identified as "a security threat" since the phasing-in of a new border check system that became fully operational Friday, Brussels said.
The so-called Entry/Exit System (EES) replaces passport stamps with a digital registration in a bid to make travel to Europe more efficient and secure, according to the European Commission.
More than 52 million crossings were registered since its initial launch in October last year, the commission said.
Entry was refused more than 27,000 times, including to almost 700 people who "were identified as posing a security threat to the Union", it added.
"With the EES, we are taking control of who enters and leaves the EU, when and where," commented Magnus Brunner, the European Union's commissioner for internal affairs.
The system was officially deployed at all external border crossings of the 29 nations involved on Friday.
It is used by the EU's 27 countries -- with the exception of Ireland and Cyprus -- as well as by Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, which are not EU members but are part of the Schengen free movement area.
Under the scheme, non-EU travellers arriving for short stays are asked for their passport number, to provide fingerprints and have their photo taken at automated kiosks.
The related information is recorded in a digital file, allowing authorities to better share information and know when people entered and exited a country.
"It will enable authorities to identify risks in real time, tackle overstays more effectively," said the EU's executive vice-president for security and democracy, Henna Virkkunen.
But the system has raised concerns among transport providers and passengers, who feared longer queues at airports and train stations.
The commission said it remained in close contact with member states on the implementation, adding registration took on average "only 70 seconds, which is a very short time period for non-EU citizens".
