Local leaders are stepping up their pleas for an seamless transition when the EU’s entry-exit system (EES) takes effect later this year, along with the Etias visa waiver programme, which is now expected to come into force in 2025.
EES is an automated IT system which will require travellers from the UK and other non-EU countries to submit to biometric checks at the EU’s external borders. Etias, meanwhile, is a €7 (£6) US Esta-style scheme, which will allow nationals from 60 visa-exempt countries to stay in Europe for up to 90 days in a six-month period.
Demands for a smooth implementation of the new EU border rules come after the House of Lords’ Justice and Home Affairs committee, earlier this week, raised concerns about the UK’s readiness for the changes, warning of potential delays at the border.
“We have some critical issues to overcome, not least the EU entry-exit system in the short-term, and climate change,” said Port of Dover chief executive Doug Bannister.
“But with the right collaboration between industry and government, we can ensure we have the tools to deliver the smartest, most seamless and sustainable travel long into the future, supporting the economy of Kent and the nation as a whole.”