Codex Joins EU Entry/Exit System Implementation in Latvia

The European Union’s (EU) new digital Entry/Exit System (EES) is now fully operational in Latvia. Latvia is one of only four EU Member States that has implemented the system at all border crossing points and is using it in practical border control. The system is functioning successfully at all national border crossing points — land, sea, rail, and air — providing unified registration of entries and exits for third‑country nationals and significantly improving the transparency of security procedures

Codex's Role in Implementation

The implementation of the EES in Latvia took place in parallel with the modernisation of border control systems, carried out by SIA Codex in cooperation with SIA Proof IT, under the mandate of the Information Centre of the Ministry of the Interior.

As part of the project:

• the previous functionality of the State Border Guard information systems was completely redesigned;
• the system architecture was developed;
• a new data warehouse with analytics capabilities was created;
• a mobile application for the Immigration Service was developed;
• integrations were provided with end-user devices — document scanners, fingerprint and biometric equipment;
• an offline mode was implemented, allowing the system to operate during temporary network outages, with synchronisation once the connection is restored.

“This is one of the most technically complex security systems implemented in Latvian public administration in recent years. The work required full modernisation of existing systems and the development of new integrations with biometric and document verification devices. The fact that Latvia is among the first EU countries to roll out this solution on a national scale demonstrates not only our team's professional capability but also the competitiveness of the Latvian IT sector at the European level. This project significantly strengthens the security of the national border control system and lays the groundwork for further digitalisation and modern solutions,” says Vladimirs Dagenvalds, Board Member of SIA Codex.

Proven Stability in Practice

The system’s resilience has already been tested under real and high-intensity conditions. During the European Basketball Championship, a significant number of foreign fans arrived in Latvia, including a large flow of travellers from Serbia — a non-EU country. At Latvia’s borders — particularly at Riga Airport, where several thousand inspection operations are carried out daily, including for transit passengers — the EES functioned reliably and without significant disruptions.

This demonstrates the system’s readiness for everyday operational loads and positions Latvia as a practical example for other EU countries that are still preparing for deployment.

Gradual Rollout Across the EU

To ensure a stable technical environment and a high-quality implementation process, the European Commission planned for the EES to be introduced gradually across EU Member States, allowing each country to choose the most appropriate implementation approach.

“The benefits of the EES for EU citizens and third‑country nationals include the modernisation and improvement of EU external border management, smoother and faster border crossings, prevention of irregular migration, and strengthened security at the EU’s external borders and across the Union as a whole. Since 2021, the Information Centre of the Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation with the State Border Guard, has implemented several EU‑funded projects to develop and deploy new information systems and EES integrations,” notes Āris Dzērvāns, Director of the Information Centre of the Ministry of the Interior.

Latvia’s timely work and successful practical use of the system represent a significant contribution to the development and security of digital border control at the European level.