All ports, airports and border crossings must install equipment with new technologies, to allow the entry/exit system to come into force on 10 November.
Non-EU travellers must make arrangements to adapt to the new Entry/Exit System (EES), which is due to come into force on 10 November, but are the Schengen countries ready for it?
Europe’s new digital border management system has raised many questions, firstly because of its postponement, which has been decided on several occasions.
New scanners will appear in EU airports, and processing areas have been set up for this purpose in international ports and railway stations.
Several million euros have been invested to set up this new type of control, designed to record the biometric data of non-EU passengers each time they enter and leave the Schengen area.
Tourists have been warned of the delays and queues that are likely to be expected at checkpoints this autumn.
How is the UK preparing for the new EU rules?
But it is clearly the post-Brexit UK that will be hardest hit by the upcoming changes, as travellers from across the Channel will have to undergo additional checks when travelling to the EU.
While airport checks will be carried out on arrival in EU countries, checks on trains, cars and ferries will have to take place before departure from the UK.
The UK government is working hard to reduce queues and disruption. This week, the latter announced funding of £10.5 million (€12.5 million) to support preparations for the Port of Dover, the Eurotunnel at Folkestone and the Eurostar at St Pancras Station in London.
The funds will help to put in place the technology and processes needed to ensure smooth check-in for the Entry Exit System (EES), including the creation of a dedicated processing site at the Port of Dover and the installation of more self-service kiosks for Eurotunnel and Eurostar passengers.
These kiosks will enable British travellers to check in at the border, taking their fingerprints and photo.
The money will also be used to “undertake rigorous testing to reduce the risk of disruption,” according to the UK government, and will help increase staff recruitment and training to help ensure a smoother rollout of the Entry-Exit System (EES).
The dread of endless queues
UK ministers have said the money will help minimise disruption to British travellers and ensure the new procedures get off to a smooth start.
“No one wants to see endless queues at our ports, which is why we are rolling out this funding to ensure our borders are as well prepared as possible for the change that is coming – even though the EES is an EU initiative,” said Lilian Greenwood, the UK’s Minister for Future Roads.
“Since coming to government, we have reviewed plans and provided real support to ports, to ensure they have the right operational procedures in place so that registration under the new EES system can be smooth and waiting times are kept to a minimum.” The government says the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel and Eurostar are “on track for a smooth transition”.
“Eurostar will be fully ready and compliant by November, ensuring a smooth transition for all our passengers,” said Simon Lejeune, Eurostar’s head of security and stations.
Yann Leriche, CEO of Getlink – which operates Eurotunnel – added that, thanks to two years of preparation and £70m (€83m) of investment, “when the new rules come into force, people will travel through the Channel Tunnel as easily as they do today.”
While some countries, such as Malta, had to implement a manual alternative system until July after failing to start preparations for the EES early enough, the European Commission now insists that all member states are ready to adapt to the changes.
“At every airport, every port and every road into Europe, we will have digital border controls – all connected at the same time,” EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said on 16 August.
Will delays be inevitable when the European Border Information System is launched?
Despite these preparations, British travel agencies remain sceptical.
The lack of information provided to travellers and the uneven levels of preparation at airports could lead to “long queues, chaos and confusion”, warns travel association AITO.
It has called for the transition period to be extended and for controls to be relaxed where waiting times prove too long.
However, the European Commission confirmed to Euronews Travel in July that “all travellers subject to the EES system will be registered in the system at all border crossing points, from day one”, adding that it has provided all EU member states with the “necessary tools to ensure smooth traffic”.
A mobile app allowing passengers to pre-register their data before travelling will be available in some countries, but its implementation has been voluntary.
Concerns have also been raised about the launch of the EES and the phased introduction of the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for visa-free travellers, which began in May.
And the entry into force of the ETIAS travel authorisation in the first half of 2025, which will require visa-exempt non-EU travellers to obtain an electronic authorisation for €7, is expected to further complicate travel.
This article is originally published on fr.euronews.com
