The state-owned port system, through Puertos del Estado, an agency of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, will invest 65 million euros in the purchase of equipment to strengthen border control within the framework of the European /Exit System (EES), which is being implemented progressively.
The Entry-Exit System (EES) – the European Union’s /Exit System – will be a common electronic system that will record the entry and exit of non-EU travelers crossing the borders of the European Union, through airports, roads, and ports. It will apply to persons requiring a short-stay visa and to those from third countries exempt from the visa requirement.
In general, the EES will replace the manual stamping of passports with an electronic record of entries and exits, and through the collection of biometric data, it will provide reliable data on border crossings and effectively detect persons who overstay their authorized period of stay. Furthermore, it will contribute to the fight against terrorism and serious crime. The EES is established by Regulation (EU) /2226, which aims to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of controls at the external borders of the Schengen area.
Of the 65 million planned for the purchase of the necessary equipment to implement these new controls in the ports of general interest, the European Union will fund a maximum of 59.8 million through the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (IGFV). Puertos del Estado, an agency of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, leads the monitoring committee of the agreement signed with the Ministry of the Interior for the implementation of this new system in Spanish ports starting in 2026.
