Europe rolls out automated border checks

Brussels, Belgium: From Sunday, non EU travellers entering Europe s Schengen open borders zone will gradually be photographed and fingerprinted at bor...

Brussels, Belgium: From Sunday, non-EU travellers entering Europe's Schengen open-borders zone will gradually be photographed and fingerprinted at border crossings, as the European Union rolls out its much-delayed automated border checks.

The aim of the new system? To replace eventually the manual stamp on passports and secure better information-sharing between the bloc's 27 states.

"This is a significant step towards a more secure and efficient border management system for the EU," said EU spokesman Markus Lammert.

The border-check system will allow authorities to know when people entered and exited a country, in the belief that it will help better detect anyone overstaying and people refused entry.

Hotly debated for nearly a decade, the system has, however, raised concerns among transport providers and passengers, who fear it could lead to longer queues at airports and train stations.