Closeup of European EU Road Sign with the European Union Flag.
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The EU’s long-awaited digital border blitz is set to rock travel in 2025 – but not without a fair share of hiccups and heavy queues.
Europe’s Entry/Exit System (EES): New scanners, new scrambles
Europe’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is finally coming into force this year, though with no firm launch date yet – talk about keeping us on the edge of our seats… The EU’s shiny new digital border system is aimed at tightening security by keeping tabs on non-EU travellers who overstay their welcome in the Schengen Area. But with only a mere 10 per cent of border crossings sporting automated barriers at the outset, travellers are bracing themselves for longer waits and a fair bit of border bedlam.
Under the new regime, UK, US, and other non-EU visitors (who don’t need a visa) must now scan their passports at self-service kiosks each time they cross an EU external border. Notably, legal EU citizens, residents, and long-stay visa holders are left out of this new selfie and fingerprint frenzy. Travellers will be required to register their details, including biometric data, with facial scans and fingerprints valid for multiple trips every three years. And if that’s not enough, all international land, maritime, and air borders in the Schengen Area are getting a high-tech makeover – so heavy, in fact, that some airports have had to beef up their floors!
Eurostar’s fast-track gamble
In a blow to speedy travel, Eurostar is scrapping its once-popular SmartCheck service at London’s St Pancras station. From February 13, premium passengers from the Premium, Carte Blanche, and Etoile Club categories will no longer be able to skip the double passport control, thanks to the incoming EES facial scanning and fingerprinting requirements.
Dover’s dismay: Queues on the horizon
UK transport minister Guy Opperman has hinted at a ‘six-month soft launch’ period designed to iron out any glitches before the system goes full throttle. ‘If there are queues or delays, precautionary flexibility measures will allow greater freedom of passage for vehicles, coaches, HGVs, and cars,’ he explained, promising to ease the growing concerns of stranded travellers.
The Port of Dover, has now confirmed that the system won’t hit the scene until November 2025, giving extra time to iron out the kinks – though it’s hardly a consolation for those dreading long waits on the docks.
Stay tuned as we keep a close eye on this unfolding border saga.
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