Later this year, the way we travel between the UK and Europe is going to change in a big way. Something called the Entry/Exit System (EES) will come into effect, replacing manual passport stamping with an automated IT system registering stuff like travel documents and biometric data.
It’ll be a huge shake-up. And the changeover to a new system is expected to cause quite a bit of disruption at borders with the EU, with travellers needing to register fingerprints and a photo on the UK side of the border. Several people and organisations have warned that the new system could cause lengthy queues at the border.
But now there’s some better news. The boss of Eurotunnel – which operates the Channel Tunnel – has said he reckons there will be no queues after the EES switch. That’s right: no queues at all.
Eurotunnel chief executive Yann Leriche told BBC News that while cross-Channel journeys will take five to seven minutes longer, extra lanes and new technology will actually make the overall process smoother. Passengers will use machines to scan passports and register biometric data, while 140 new staff will be hired to help.
Leriche said: ‘There will be no delay on the highway, nothing. It will happen in a very smooth manner.’
A confident man! Is Leriche’s confidence warranted? We’ll just have to wait and see.
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When will the new EU travel system start?
The new EES travel system is expected to launch on October 6 2024. It’s been delayed since 2022.
The EES isn’t to be confused with the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which is a visa waiver system that’ll apply to UK travellers. That’s been delayed to 2025 – and you can find out more about it here.
What’s different about this new travel system?
At the moment, if you travel from the UK to the EU’s Schengen Area, you have your passport stamped at the border when you arrive in the EU.
When the EES comes into effect, your fingerprints and an image of your face will be taken at the external border, meaning that information will be collected before you leave the UK. You won’t need to register in advance for the EES before you travel.
The idea behind the EES is that it will keep better track of migration data, as well as reduce time spent waiting around at border control on the Schengen side.
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