Logistics UK welcomes ‘breathing space’ for EU border system

At least nine European Union and associated nations are understood to have delayed the full implementation of the bloc’s new biometric border technology, the European Entry/Exit System (EES), following long queues at passport checkpoints over the summer.

The Sunday Times has reported that Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Malta, Portugal and Switzerland have informally been told by officials in Brussels that they can delay implementation to improve flow at border crossings.

The countries were said to have told the European Commission that they would not enforce the system until the technology was functioning correctly, following the expiry of a grace period that enabled checks to be waived to help mitigate travel chaos.

The system, which was previously intended to be in full operation by April 2026, is designed to enable enforcement of the so-called 90/180 rule. This aims to prevent non-EU citizens, including Britons, from spending more than 90 out of any 180 days within the Schengen area.

It has caused considerable concern for British haulage and coach operators working in Europe, as there is currently no exemption from the rule available for road transport drivers, despite attempts by trade groups to secure such a derogation.

Logistics UK chief executive Ben Fletcher said the EU’s decision to “adopt a pragmatic approach” would “come as a relief to the logistics sector and those operating our key trading gateways with France”.

“Logistics UK has warned consistently that EES must not be allowed to create unnecessary delays for freight and trade,” he said.

“Almost 60 per cent of UK–EU trade in goods travels via the Short Straits, and our analysis shows that even a 90-minute delay to the 3.35 million HGVs using these crossings could cost the economy £400 million a year.

“Keeping goods moving smoothly between the UK and EU, and fixing unnecessary trade friction, is in everyone’s economic interest and essential to supporting trade-led growth.

“Now that France and several other European countries have been given the flexibility to ease EES checks where necessary, the priority must be to use that breathing space to resolve the remaining technical issues and ensure that further implementation is properly tested, phased and based on what works operationally at the border.”