The United Kingdom is taking steps to get ready for a big change in how people travel to Europe. The European Union is launching a new digital border system, and the UK government is spending millions of pounds to help its ports and train stations prepare.
However, travel groups are worried that the changes could lead to chaos and delays for British travelers.
The UK government has invested £10.5 million to help make the change smoother, but it is still unclear if this will be enough to avoid the expected issues.
Gearing up for the Entry/Exit System
The UK government has announced it will spend £10.5 million to prepare for the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES).
This digital border system is set to launch in Autumn 2024 and will change how non-EU travelers, including Britons, enter the EU.
The money will be split equally among three major travel hubs:
-
Port of Dover
-
Eurotunnel at Folkestone
-
Eurostar at St Pancras
Each of these locations will receive £3.5 million to help set up the new system and try to prevent long queues for travelers.
New EES enhances EU security
The EES is a new automated IT system that will record information about non-EU travelers entering the EU for short stays. It replaces the old method of manually stamping passports.
When the system starts on November 10th, 2024, it will collect and store:
-
Names
-
Types of travel documents
-
Fingerprints
-
Facial images
-
Entry and exit information
The system aims to:
-
Identify people who overstay their allowed time in the EU
-
Spot those trying to use fake documents
-
Help prevent illegal immigration
-
Improve security in the EU
(Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
UK travelers face new procedures
For UK citizens planning trips to Europe, the EES means some changes:
-
Registration: Travelers will need to register their information in the system.
-
Biometric data: They’ll have to provide fingerprints and have their photo taken.
-
Stored information: This data will be kept in a database for three years.
-
Repeat process: Once their registered data expires, UK travelers will only need to go through the full registration again.
Ports prepared for EES transition
UK officials are aware that these new procedures could cause problems if not handled well. They emphasized that they are taking steps to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said:
“Nobody wants to see long queues at our ports and that’s why we’re providing this funding to make sure our borders are as prepared as possible for the changes that are coming into effect.”
The government hopes this money will help ports install the necessary technology and get ready for the new checks without causing too much disruption.
Minister for Migration and Citizenship Seema Malhotra added:
“Since coming into government, we have been reviewing plans and closely supporting ports to make sure they have the right processes in place so that EES registration can be smooth and queue times kept to a minimum.”
The UK is also working with the European Commission and EU member states to try and minimize any problems for British travelers.
(Image courtesy of Wipada Wipawin via iStock)
Ports welcome funding
The people running the ports and stations are glad to get this help.
Emma Ward, Chief Operations Officer at the Port of Dover, called the funding “a step towards the significant investments” needed to get ready for the EES.
This money will help these busy travel spots buy and set up the technology they need. It will also help them change their facilities to fit the new system.
Experts warn of EES travel delays
While the government is trying to make things go smoothly, some travel experts are warning that there might still be issues when the system starts.
The specialist travel association Aito has said that UK travelers might face:
-
Significant delays
-
Chaos and confusion
-
Long queues
Aito thinks that these problems are likely because many people don’t know about the new system yet. They’ve asked for “contingency plans” to be ready in case things don’t go well at first.
(Image courtesy of izusek via iStock)
EES, ETIAS to tighten border control
The EES will mostly affect how people enter the EU for short visits, but it is part of a bigger change in how the EU manages its borders.
Short-term visitors will need to register with the EES when they first arrive. Their visits will be tracked more closely, and they might face longer wait times at borders, at least at first.
For long-term visitors and migrants, the EES does not directly change their status, but it might make entering and leaving the EU more complicated. It could also affect how easily they can move between EU countries
The EES is also connected to another new system called ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System).
ETIAS will require non-EU citizens who do not need a visa to get online permission before traveling to the EU. This system is expected to start in 2025.
Together, EES and ETIAS will create a more detailed picture of who is entering and leaving the EU. This could make it harder for people to stay longer than they are allowed to.
For those applying for Schengen visas, the EES will provide more accurate information about their travel history. This could affect future visa applications, making it important for travelers to stick to the rules about how long they can stay.
Shift toward digital border control
The introduction of the EES shows how EU countries are changing their approach to immigration and border control. Here is what it means:
-
More digital borders: The EU is moving towards using technology to manage who comes in and out.
-
Tighter control: With systems like EES and ETIAS, the EU will have more information about non-EU travelers.
-
Focus on security: These changes aim to make it harder for people to enter illegally or stay longer than allowed.
-
Balancing act: The EU is trying to make travel easier for approved visitors while increasing security.
-
Data sharing: EU countries will share more information about travelers, which could lead to more consistent immigration policies across the EU.
-
Pressure on resources: Countries will need to invest in new technology and train staff to use these systems.
-
Potential for stricter policies: With more data available, some countries might use it to support tougher immigration rules.
These changes show that the EU is trying to modernize its borders. It wants to make travel smoother for legitimate visitors while keeping better track of who is coming and going.
This could lead to more unified immigration policies across EU countries, but it might also make it more challenging for some people to enter or stay in the EU.
UK eyes smooth EES rollout
As the UK and EU prepare for these new border systems, travelers and officials alike are watching closely. The success of the EES will depend on how well countries adapt to the new technology and processes.
For now, the UK government's £10.5 million investment shows it is taking the changes seriously. However, only time will tell if this will be enough to prevent the delays and confusion that some experts are warning about.