Brussels, Dec. 31, 2025 (Lusa) - The European Commission said it would ask the Portuguese authorities for "more details" about the suspension of the European border control system for non-EU citizens, but added that the decision was unrelated to problems with its implementation.
"We will contact the Portuguese authorities to ask for more details about their plans," European Commission spokeswoman Arianna Podesta told Lusa.
The spokesperson for the EU executive revealed that the decision to suspend the European border control system "is not related to any problems with the system of entry and exit" from the European Union (EU) territory.
The government has indicated to the European Commission that the suspension of the border control system for non-EU citizens is intended to "accommodate restructuring work" at Lisbon airport, the country's main airport.
The European border control system for non-EU citizens will be suspended for three months at Lisbon airport, which will be reinforced "immediately" with military personnel from the GNR, the Ministry of Internal Administration announced on Tuesday.
In a statement, the government justified the reinforcement of contingency measures at Lisbon airport with "the worsening of constraints in the arrivals area" for non-European passengers from outside the Schengen area due to the evolution of the European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES).
"Considering the need to implement and reinforce the contingency measures defined in September so that it is possible to achieve the reduction in times in the arrivals hall already achieved in the departures area," the government has determined "the immediate suspension for three months of the application of the EES computer system, under European regulations" at Lisbon airport, according to the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI).
The MAI states that there will also be an "immediate reinforcement" of National Republican Guard military personnel with certified training in border control.
The ministry also indicates that "the capacity of electronic and physical equipment for external border control will be increased by around 30% to the maximum supported by the current airport infrastructure".
AFE/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
