EU border check system delayed

The European Union has de­layed introducing a fingerprint and facial scan check system for non-EU citizens at all EU borders which was due to be rolled out on 10 November.

Germany, France, and the Netherlands said their systems were not ready to implement the European Entry/Exit Sys­tem (EES), which will use bi­ometric data rather than pass­ports to control the border.

There was widespread con­cern that the system would cause long delays at key chan­nel crossing points in Kent, and make it easier to detect British freight and coach driv­ers who might overstay the 90 in 180 days limit in the Schengen Area.

Sources have reportedly told the BBC that there has been no live testing of the EU’s software on the UK’s border systems.

Last month Ylva Johansson, the EU home affairs commis­sioner, was unable to confirm a new timetable for EES roll­out, but said that it would be phased in: “It’s clear that we’re not going to be ready for the 10 November. We will be going for a phased approach, step by step.”

Road Haulage Association director of public affairs and policy, Declan Pang, said: “We welcome this delay to EES and continue to seek clarity and further information from gov­ernment on EES processes, timelines and readiness. Our members have long-warned that the system needs to be fully tested before activation to ensure that it can cope with peak traffic flows.

“It’s vital that we get these processes right, especially at ports where thousands of vehi­cles pass through daily.

“We know the knock-on im­pact that disruption and delays can cause and we’ll continue to engage with officials and ports to ensure that all infra­structure is ready, updated and secure before the eventual full roll-out.”

Logistics UK also welcomed reports that the introduction of EEs was to be delayed.

“Our members have been warning for some time that if the system is rolled out on 10 November, without robust test­ing of IT systems and without the availability of an app to fa­cilitate registration away from the border, then costly disrup­tion and delays at peak pas­senger periods are inevitable for hauliers and GB EU trade,” said the organisation’s head of trade, Nichola Mallon.

She cited analysis under­taken by Logistics UK with independent modelling ex­perts MDS Transmodal, which demonstrated that even if de­lays were limited to 90 min­utes for the 3.35 million HGVs that passed through the Short Straits in 2023, the cost to the economy would be £400 mil­lion per year.

“This is a cost that the logis­tics industry cannot just ab­sorb, not least because our members already operate on incredibly narrow margins and are facing rising operating costs that are putting pressure on their ability to keep trad­ing,” Nichola Mallon added.

“Businesses and consumers need goods to arrive as swift­ly and seamlessly as possible and it is encouraging to hear that more time is to be made available to iron out issues and implement solutions to ensure that the supply chain can con­tinue to move smoothly.”