Travellers entering Europe from the UK face potential chaos next autumn with the introduction of stringent post-Brexit border controls. British passport holders will be subjected to fingerprint checks and facial scans as part of the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES), set to replace passport stamping, a practice that began after Brexit when the UK became a ‘third country’ to the EU.
The EES, initially slated for implementation earlier this year but delayed several times, will check every passenger’s name and biometric data upon entry into an EU country. However, some EU countries have raised concerns about the added time for border processing, with Slovenia reporting that it could take ‘up to four times longer’.
Despite these concerns, the EES is scheduled to be introduced on October 6, 2024. The system requires travellers to present a facial image and provide four fingerprints every time they cross into the continent. Personal data including first name, surname, date of birth, nationality, sex, travel document, and the three-letter country code will be required for processing, with children under 12 being exempt.
Countries like Austria and Croatia have warned of significantly longer processing times at borders. French officials, responsible for carrying out EES border checks at the Port of Dover, Folkestone for Eurotunnel, and St Pancras International for Eurostar, anticipate that queues at the UK-France border will at least double when the EES launches in 2024.
The Port of Dover, already experiencing delays due to post-Brexit checks, predicts that the new system could extend checks on cars from 45 seconds to as long as 10 minutes. Eurotunnel also anticipates delays, estimating up to six minutes longer per car.
EES will apply to all European Union countries except Cyprus and Ireland and will be adopted by Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. About six months after its introduction, the EU plans to implement Etias, a visa waiver system similar to the US Esta, costing €7 per person for entry into the Schengen Area.
The EU has dismissed concerns that ESS will cause chaos at borders, claiming it will actually save time by replacing passport stamping and automating border control procedures.
This development comes amid concerns about the impact of a volcanic eruption in Iceland on air travel. While the Icelandic government and airlines have stated that the airports in Iceland are not impacted, travellers are anxiously awaiting updates on their flights.
