EU-Lisa Sues Over Border System
The agency filed a claim against IBM, Atos, and Leonardo in an Estonian court to recover costs from delivery delays.
By Andrew Hayes ·
The European Union’s border technology agency has turned to the courts to resolve a dispute with the tech firms that built its new entry and exit system. EU-Lisa filed a lawsuit against IBM, Atos, and Leonardo, the three companies that formed the consortium responsible for implementing the project. The agency’s annual accounts, released in November 2026, confirm that the legal action began in December 2025.
The conflict centers on the timing of the system’s delivery. EU-Lisa stated in its accounts that it activated contractual and legal remedies to protect its financial interests due to various delays by the contracting consortium. The claim was submitted on December 22, 2025, to a court in Estonia, the location of the agency’s headquarters. The agency has been contacted for comment regarding the specific financial demands.
The Entry/Exit System launched in October 2025, but its rollout has been marked by operational friction. The system requires non-Schengen travelers to submit facial photographs and fingerprints before entering the 25 member states of the Schengen area, which also includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. These checks apply to travelers who are not citizens of the 29 Schengen nations, Ireland, or Cyprus.
Airports have reported malfunctioning kiosks and regular outages since the system went live. These technical issues have contributed to waiting times of up to three hours during peak periods. Some passengers have missed flights due to these delays, which officials attributed to a combination of new technology and a shortage of border staff.
The European Commission clarified that it is not a party to the lawsuit. The Commission noted that the case concerns delays during the system development phase and is not related to the system's current operation. A spokesperson for the agency told the Financial Times that the lawsuit has no impact on the system's function, describing the Entry/Exit System as fully operational across Europe. The Guardian has also contacted IBM, Leonardo, and Atos for comment.
