2025: Europe’s Delayed Dream – New Travel System Put On Hold

Europe’s long-awaited travel system, the European Union’s “Movement for the Free Travel of Persons” (MFT) project, has been postponed again, this time until 2025. The project, which was initially expected to be completed by 2021, has been delayed due to technical difficulties, complex legal requirements, and other issues. The MFT system was meant to provide travelers with a comprehensive and unified travel permit for all EU member states, eliminating the need for multiple national and regional agreements. The ambitious project was divided into four main components: an integrated border control, a common visa policy, digital travel documents, and a harmonized Schengen Area definition. The integrated border control was meant to improve the security of the European border, by ensuring that travelers are accurately identified, generating an efficient exchange of passenger data among member states, and facilitating the quicker movement of lawful travelers between borders. The common visa policy was intended to provide a unified standard for visa applications, allowing travelers to apply for visas across the whole of the EU, with a single online portal. The digital travel documents proposed by the MFT project would have allowed travelers to apply for their visas and other documentation electronically, making the process much more efficient. Finally, the harmonized Schengen Area definition would have unified the standards for travelers entering and exiting the area, enabling a much faster and simpler travel experience. Unfortunately, the project has been delayed multiple times due to a variety of factors, including the complexity of the legal requirements, lack of cooperation from certain states, and technical difficulties. As a result, the project is now expected to be completed by 2025. The MFT Project represents an important step in the integration of European travel, and its eventual completion will provide a great deal of convenience and accessibility to travelers in the EU. It remains to be seen whether the project will be ready in time for its 2025 deadline, but in the meantime, travelers in the region will have to continue to rely on existing arrangements.