The European Council of the European Union (EU) and the European Parliament have reached a preliminary agreement on the gradual launch of the Entry/Exit digital border management system (EES), which will replace stamps in foreign passports. This was reported in a press release on the European Council website.

The decision to introduce the system was made back in 2017, but its launch has been postponed several times. The latest deadline was set for 2024. However, at the end of last year, the European Commission (EC) again postponed the launch of the EES because Germany, France, and the Netherlands were not ready yet for its introduction, DW reports. At that time, the EC demanded the creation of a new regulation for the gradual launch of this system, not a simultaneous one.

The new agreement proposes to allocate six months for the gradual introduction of the EES. “Until the end of this transition period, member states will also continue to manually stamp travel documents,” the press release says. Earlier, it was reported that the EES will completely replace stamps in foreign passports.

This agreement of the EU Council and the European Parliament, however, does not mean that the EES will be introduced right away. The date for the gradual start of the system’s operation must be set by the EC. In addition, the agreement reached on Monday is preliminary, and it still needs to be approved ultimately by the EU Council and the European Parliament.

The EES digital system will enable the automatic registration of data—including biometric data: fingerprints and a facial image—on those entering and leaving the Schengen area. EU authorities will have permanent access to the personal data of third-country nationals and their travel history, and will also be able to monitor whether they are respecting the permitted period of stay.