RHA updates hauliers on EES border system
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has issued advice for operators regarding the forthcoming European Entry/Exit (EES) system, which is being introduced from Sunday 12 October.
Implementation of the system is set to be phased in at border crossing points over the following six months, with full implementation expected by 10 April 2026 as Transport Operator closed for press.
The introduction of EES has implications for the so-called 90/180 rule, under which British citizens’ stay in the Schengen area – the open border zone encompassing 29 European nations – must be no more than 90 days in every 180. Previously, enforcement of this was reliant upon checking of passport stamps, and thus rare in practice. EES will enable the European authorities to enforce the rule more strictly.
“Regular travellers (including lorry and coach drivers on international work) should carefully track the time they’ve spent in the Schengen area to avoid breaching the limit – the rule applies [to] holidays as well as work,” said the RHA in a bulletin on its website.
“Individuals overstaying the 90/180 day rule will be automatically identified by the system.
“Border control is a matter for the relevant EU or Schengen country; however, travellers may be subjected to further enquiries by the border guard and could potentially be fined or refused entry, which means you will have to return to the UK.
“A ban could be imposed of between 1-3 years.”
It advised: “Most non-EU citizens – including British citizens – will need to register their biometric details (fingerprints and having their photo taken) when they enter or exit the Schengen area… There is no charge for travellers for EES registration – any requests for payment to comply with EES are incorrect and/or fraudulent.”
The Schengen Area currently comprises 25 EU member states (excluding the Republic of Ireland and Cyprus), and in addition, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
RHA managing director Richard Smith reiterated the association’s previous call for a professional drivers’ exemption from the 90/180 rule.
“This is a problem for haulage and coach operators on international work and will have wider implications for the UK economy and supply chain security with greater reliance on EU carriers,” he said.
“Whilst shippers have benefited from decades of chasing domestic and international haulage rates to the bottom by using ever cheaper hauliers from Eastern Europe and beyond, the cost to the UK economy has never been considered by successive governments who have failed to offer any protection to UK operators.
“There are tax revenue implications too if UK operators lose work to overseas hauliers – less income tax, corporation tax, vat on truck and trailer purchases, fuel duty…
“The relevance of the 90/180 to this historic problem will come in many ways; the obvious risk is to our very successful event hauliers, servicing the music, racing and arts sectors. The very nature of this work requires trucks to spend weeks or months on tour, but also the regular backwards and forwards nature of import and export work.
“A couple of loads per week to Paris for example will soon rack up 90 days in 180, and that’s without taking the drivers own holidays in Europe into account which will also be included.”
Mr Smith raised the prospect that this could also open the door for more abuse of the cabotage system, which he said appeared to be largely misunderstood or ignored by UK enforcement authorities.
“UK ports are filled with unaccompanied trailers arriving from EU. On a Sunday night some of the trailers will be accompanied by an EU registered truck which will work in the UK all week, tipping and loading trailers with international loads or on domestic work if quiet, only crossing back into the EU on a Friday to fill up with cheaper EU fuel, then repeat for 50 weeks. No input whatsoever into UK plc…”
He concluded: “We continue to raise with government these concerns asking for a visa of exemption for the drivers affected to allow the UK to have an international haulage sector.”
