Soldiers deployed at Lisbon airport after EU border failures

Portugal has stationed 24 National Republican Guard soldiers at Humberto Delgado Airport to assist arrivals after a European Commission assessment found 'serious deficiencies' in border controls and the government suspended the new Entry/Exit System for non-EU citizens.

Portugal has deployed 24 members of the National Republican Guard to the arrivals area at Humberto Delgado Airport to help check documentation and reduce waiting times. The deployment follows a European Commission assessment in mid-December that reported serious deficiencies in border control at the airport. In response, the government suspended the rollout of the European Entry/Exit System (EES) for non-EU citizens. Officials have not announced how long the soldiers will remain on duty. Key developments: - 24 GNR soldiers are reported to be working in flexible shifts in the arrivals area to check documentation. - An unannounced European Commission assessment in mid-December found serious deficiencies in first- and second-line border controls at Lisbon airport. - The Portuguese government suspended the EES rollout for non-EU citizens for three months following the assessment. - The airport had already been reinforced over the holiday period with additional Public Security Police officers due to long passenger queues. Summary: These actions are presented as immediate measures to reduce delays and address the shortcomings identified by the European Commission. The EES rollout is suspended for three months, and the length of the GNR deployment has not been specified.