November 9 (Reuters) – The European Union’s IT agency for migration affairs stated on Monday that it is in negotiations with IBM (IBM.N), French IT firm Atos (ATOS.PA), and Italian defense group Leonardo (LDOF.MI) regarding issues encountered in the development of a new “smart” border system.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) requires travelers to register at the border, which includes scanning their passports and providing fingerprints and photographs.
Last October, the European Union began implementing the system, which is designed to detect individuals who have overstayed their visas, combat identity fraud, and prevent illegal immigration. This move followed political pressure in some countries to adopt a tougher stance on immigration.
A spokesperson for eu-LISA stated: “As legal proceedings are ongoing, we cannot comment on the details of the case. The proceedings relate to the development phase of the system and have no impact on its current operation.” The spokesperson added that the system is fully operational across Europe.
Earlier that day, the Financial Times reported on the move, citing internal communications, and noted that the legal action follows the consortium’s “repeated failure to meet deadlines and its challenges to warnings and fines issued by the regulatory authority.”
Correspondence between the consortium and eu-LISA, cited by the Financial Times, reveals that the two parties have been at odds over missed deadlines and fines—disagreements that date back several years.
IBM and Atos did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent outside of normal business hours, while Leonardo declined to comment.