UK allocates £10.5 million for new EES kiosks

Despite announcements that the EU’s Entry-Exit System (EES) will be postponed until November, British ports are still struggling to prepare for biometric border checks. The UK government has now promised £10.5 million (US$13.8 million) in state support for new registration kiosks.

The funding is aimed at preventing queues at the border at Port of Dover, Eurotunnel’s Folkestone tunnel and St Pancras railway station in London, the departure point for Eurostar trains. Each location will receive £3.5 million (US$4.6 million) for installing additional kiosks, testing and training staff –  a fraction of what the three ports have already spent.

“This additional funding for ports will ensure they have the right technology and processes in place so that EES registration can take place as smoothly as possible,” says UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra.

The three locations are part of the “juxtaposed control” arrangements that allow French officers to complete Schengen entry checks on UK soil.

Eurotunnel operator Getlink said that the funding will be spent on new technology and kiosks in addition to the 106 already installed in the UK, which will be deployed during peak periods. The company has been promising minimum delays for passengers.

Eurostar has also pledged to be “fully prepared and compliant” by November, ensuring a smooth transition for passengers.

The Port of Dover, however, has been dealing with the lack of space for expanding the port and is currently filling a part of a marina to create more space for EES processing. The new government funding will be used to expedite the Granville Dock Project.

“We are doing all that we can to be ready with the facilities that will be used by French border officials operating the new system,” says Emma Ward, the port’s chief operations officer.

Some lawmakers, however, are still concerned about the introduction of EES. A Lords committee has warned that the Granville Dock Project has not yet received the approval of the French authorities.

“We remain concerned about potential for travel disruption when the EES is introduced,” says Lord Foster of Bath, chair of the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee. “We were told that a mobile phone application which would allow pre-registration for parts of the EES process was in development, and the Government should encourage the EU and the French Government to make its use possible.”

EES biometric registration could be ‘loosened’

Concerns about hours-long queues due to EES persist, including at airports. However, rules around requiring biometrics could reportedly be loosened during busy periods, according to reports.

The EES is expected to launch on November 10, 2024. The system will require non-EU citizens to submit fingerprint and face biometrics on their first crossing of Schengen borders and scan their passports at self-serve kiosks during future crossings.

New rules will allow the EES to introduce a “relief valve” allowing a certain amount of people to skip biometric registration to reduce delays, The Independent reports. Local border officials can decide how many travelers need to go through biometric registration during “exceptional circumstances.” The range could fall between 10 and 100 percent of passengers but details are still lacking, the report notes.

The new “relief valve” rule could potentially ease the worries of transport operators who have been lobbying for a gradual approach to biometric data collection during a 12- to 18-month period. Supply chain operators have also been voicing concerns.

EES delay could bring more chaos to supply chains

The logistics industry is cheering for a smartphone app that allows EES registration before reaching the border.

While businesses support the delay of EES to November, the new deadline could introduce even more chaos at UK borders as the Christmas holiday season approaches, industry media The Loadstar reports. Local authorities in the UK logistics hub of Kent have also been warning of potential gridlock due to EES checks.

According to earlier reports, however, an app will not be available in time for travel to France despite a deadline change.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  Entry/Exit System (EES)  |  Eurotunnel  |  funding  |  Getlink  |  mobile app  |  UK