UK Port of Dover expecting phased introduction of EES in November

UK ports are not expecting the introduction of the EU’s Entry-Exit System until November this year, according to Port of Dover chief executive Doug Bannister.

The biometric traveler registration scheme is expected to be phased in over six months in line with the EU’s decision to introduce the EES progressively. The new approach would allow EU member states to adjust to the new technology and avoid long queues at checkpoints and potential technical disruptions.

“We’re very pleased the EU has adopted a different approach,” Bannister told Kent Online. “A progressive implementation should allow us to ramp up the EES registration process in line with making certain that the system can cope.”

The EES was scheduled to roll out in November 2024 but was postponed yet again after countries such as France, Germany and the Netherlands warned that they are ready to introduce the system. The delay was also blamed on the lack of stability of the EES central computer system and missed deadlines from the consortium contracted to build the core of the system. The consortium is led by Atos and includes IBM and Leonardo.

France’s main concern for EES is the Dover Terminal, the nearest English port to France with over 50 daily crossings to Calais. Local authorities in Dover have been warning since last year that the port could expect 14-hour-long queues after the implementation of the EES, in part due to the lack of space for processing vehicles The port has been filling part of the Granville Docks to avoid this scenario.

The EES is expected to launch in 2025, but there is currently no official launch date. The border scheme requires non-EU citizens to submit fingerprint and face biometrics upon their first crossing Schengen borders.

The phased approach would involve using biometrics for a limited percentage of passengers initially, helping to avoid bottlenecks. The state has already allocated £10.5 million (US$13.3 million) to support its ports’ readiness and these investments are not wasted despite the postponement, the UK government announced in December.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  border security  |  Entry/Exit System (EES)  |  EU  |  Europe  |  port security  |  UK