Most Britons unaware of new EU biometric border controls set to be enforced from October
King Charles III UK passport
The majority of UK adults are unaware of new biometric border controls that are set to come into effect this autumn, affecting Brits travelling to EU and Schengen countries, a survey shows.
The EU’s new Entry Exit System (EES) – requiring fingerprints and facial scans to be taken from UK travellers on first use – is expected to launch in October this year.
But new research from Co-op Insurance shows almost two-thirds – 63 per cent – of UK adults aren’t aware of the changes.
The survey, carried out on more than 2,000 people, also showed one in five would be “put off” travelling to Europe because of the new system.
Of those “put off” by the new process, just under half said they didn’t like the idea of their details being captured and remaining in the system for up to three years, whilst almost two fifths (38 per cent) said the potential for “long delays at border control” would make them think twice.
Kent County Council representatives warned MPs in January that queues at Kent borders could stretch to 14 hours under the new scheme, as checks are carried out on ferry and train passengers embarking on cross-Channel journeys to the EU.
A government spokesperson said this week: “We are developing plans to raise awareness of EES with British travellers to ensure they are ready for changes. These will intensify when the EU confirms the launch of the new system.
“We are working closely with the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum as well as with port authorities, ferry operators and industry to develop robust contingency plans to ensure they are prepared to minimise the risk of delays.”
The EES is expected to involve travellers from the UK and other non-EU countries having their fingerprints scanned and a photograph taken, to register them on a database the first time they enter an EU member state.
Holidaymakers have been assured that after that, trips would involve quicker processing times.
The data, once captured, will remain in the system for three years following a passenger’s last trip to a country using the EES system. After that time, it will be erased from the system.
The changes are being brought in to replace the current process, which sees passports stamped manually.
It will create a ‘digital border’ between EU and Schengen Area countries and those on the outside.
The roll-out of the EES was initially scheduled for 2022, but has been much delayed.
It is now due to be rolled out in late 2024, following a request from France that it is implemented after the upcoming Paris Olympics.
According to the European Commission, the system will apply when entering 29 different countries.
The list includes 25 EU countries – all Member States except Cyprus and Ireland.
It will also include four non-EU countries – Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein – which along with most EU member Member States are part of the border-free Schengen area.
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