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The Lords committee warned the government that “passengers will experience significant delays” at St Pancras station in London, the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone and the port of Dover unless the European Union delays the rollout of the EU Exit and Entry System (EES) to later this year.
After voting to leave the EU, the UK negotiates for British travelers facing various border barriers to become 'third-country nationals', including a new electronic border system currently scheduled for October/November 2024 did.
All Brits visiting the EU and the entire Schengen Area will be required to provide four right-hand fingerprints and facial biometrics. The process requires oversight from frontier officials in Europe and significantly increases processing times at ports, rail terminals and airports.
The House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee has called on the government to “exhaust all diplomatic efforts” to persuade Brussels to delay the introduction. The cross-party committee said travel disruptions could be reduced by using an EU smartphone app being developed that would at least include facial biometrics and register travellers' personal data before they arrive at the border.
Lord Foster of Bath, chairman of the committee, wrote to Tom Pursgrove, the legal immigration and borders secretary, to encourage the EU to delay the introduction of the EES until a smartphone app for pre-registration is ready. ” he asked.
The letter states: “In the absence of a smartphone application to proactively obtain the information required by the EES (including facial images), there is a significant likelihood that passengers will experience significant delays and disruption will occur in Kent. ” is written.
Airline passengers with British passports will be processed on arrival in the European Union, with some countries estimating the requirement could quadruple processing time for each traveller.
A cross-party Lord's Commission has scrutinized three locations in the UK where border controls are “juxtaposed”, with French Border Police processing passengers before boarding them for transport to France.
Folkestone Eurotunnel Terminal. The LeShuttle car transport train departs from here for Calais. The Port of Dover is the departure point for the UK's main ferry services to continental Europe. London St Pancras International is the base for Eurostar trains to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.
Eurotunnel's parent company Getlink predicts that the average time it takes to cross the French border by car will increase from less than one minute to six minutes. The company has invested €78m (£67m) to install equipment at its terminals in Folkestone and Calais, allowing drivers to step out of their cars and provide biometric identification.
The highly restricted Port of Dover faces further challenges. There is not enough space between White Cliffs and the Channel to build a facility large enough for vehicle occupants to safely exit and register.
Authorities in east Kent are concerned about the risk of traffic congestion. Ashford Borough Council warned in January that 14-hour queues would be a “reasonable worst case” if the scheme went ahead in the autumn as planned.
According to the Rhodes Committee, Dover authorities are pinning their hopes on what they are calling “a 'glorified iPad' that will be given to passengers in the car so they don't have to get out of the car.”
Eurostar initially capped the number of passengers on its trains from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam due to extra passport checks after Brexit, but is now operating at capacity. The cross-channel rail company is installing his 49 entry/exit system kiosks.
“We will continue to work closely with a wide range of stakeholders, including the EU, member states, airlines and ports around the world, to minimize the impact of the upcoming changes,” a government spokesperson said.
The European Union claims that the entry-exit system will save time, saying: “EES will replace stamping of passports, automate border control procedures and make it more efficient for travelers to travel to European countries using EES. ”.
Once the immigration scheme is launched, the next step for UK travelers to Europe is to obtain an online permit, known as an Etias. This is likely to be introduced around six months after the start of the EES, giving travelers a further six months of grace.
The Lords Committee expressed concern about the growing awareness of future requirements among the traveling public. Travel association Abta told the committee: “When these measures come into force, they could cause serious disruption for UK travelers, particularly if individuals attempt to travel without completing the necessary formalities.” said.
Lord Foster's committee is also studying the UK's own electronic travel authorization (ETA), which currently only applies to citizens of the Gulf, as well as Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
In a letter to ministers, the Chancellor said the planned rollout of the UK ETA to most other countries in autumn 2024, and the rollout to the European Union in spring 2025, poses further risks to an already complex set of changes. They are asking for the postponement rather than imposing a penalty. . He said: “We strongly recommend that the Government work with the EU to avoid any conflicts between the introduction of the EU and UK plans.”
Lord Foster is a Liberal Democrat. He served as deputy chief of staff in the 2010-15 coalition government.
