What is the EU’s new border system EES

Katy AustinTransport correspondent BBCPeople wait to undergo departures at Eurostar’s London St Pancras terminusThe subsequent time you journey from the UK to Europe, you may discover some modifications.The EU’s much-delayed new digital border system, the Entry/Exit System or EES, shall be progressively launched this autumn.The system is supposed to strengthen safety and finally make journey smoother, however there are considerations it may result in lengthy queues when folks first register.What’s EES and the place is it being launched?EES is a digital system designed to maintain observe of when non-EU residents enter and go away the Schengen Space.This covers 29 European nations – primarily within the EU – which member residents can journey throughout freely with out border controls.It consists of many common locations for UK travellers, similar to France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece.EES will ultimately substitute the present system which requires particular person passports to be checked and stamped by a border officer. When will EES begin?After being postponed a number of instances, the European Fee confirmed in July that EES will start on 12 October. Will probably be phased in progressively over six months. At Dover, coach passengers will begin utilizing the brand new system on 12 October, adopted by different vacationer visitors on 1 November. At Eurostar terminals, EES shall be launched extra progressively. Solely a small variety of enterprise travellers shall be invited to make use of the brand new system from 12 October. Extra passengers shall be directed to make use of it over subsequent months.Eurotunnel, which runs car shuttles by the Channel Tunnel, can be anticipating to introduce EES in levels from 12 October. EES must be energetic at each Schengen border crossing level in all 29 collaborating nations by 10 April 2026.What’s going to passengers need to do underneath EES?The primary time they use the brand new system, folks from most non-EU nations – together with the UK – should register biometric data whereas having their passport scanned.This can be achieved with a border officer, relying on the place folks journey to.Flight passengers will register after they arrive at their vacation spot airport.However registration shall be achieved as you allow the UK if you’re crossing the English Channel by ferry from the port of Dover, taking the Eurotunnel shuttle to France by the Channel tunnel, or getting the Eurostar practice.At these locations, passengers should observe the directions on kiosks – automated machines put in in devoted areas.The machines will scan every passport, then take fingerprints and a photograph. Youngsters underneath 12 will not have to supply fingerprints. Employees must be available to assist.The machine’s display may even current travellers with 4 questions on their journey, similar to confirming the place they are going to be staying and that they manage to pay for. Nevertheless, at Eurotunnel, these questions shall be requested by border officers as an alternative, and solely on a discretionary foundation.Eurostar has already put in 49 EES processing machines at London St PancrasEurostar has put in 49 EES kiosks in three areas round its London St Pancras terminal. Passengers will use them earlier than presenting their ticket on the departures space.Nevertheless it says all passports will proceed to be stamped manually till EES is absolutely rolled out in 2026.Eurotunnel, which runs car shuttles by the Channel Tunnel, has put in greater than 100 kiosks at all sides. Prospects who’re travelling in vehicles shall be directed to drive as much as a kiosk bearing their registration quantity, and supply their biometric data there. Coach passengers will undergo the method with a border officer.Eurotunnel has put in greater than 100 EES kiosks at all sides of the English ChannelA cell phone app has been developed to allow passengers to do a part of the method earlier than reaching the border. Nevertheless, this would possibly not be broadly used when EES is first launched.The EES registration shall be legitimate for 3 years, with the small print verified on every journey throughout that interval. What are the considerations in regards to the introduction of EES?Considerations have repeatedly been raised that the additional couple of minutes it takes for every traveller to finish the registration course of may result in massive queues, significantly at space-constrained Dover.Nevertheless, bosses at cross-Channel journey hubs hope that the choice to introduce EES progressively, as an alternative of with a “massive bang” begin, will cut back the danger of disruption.The port of Dover beforehand deliberate to offer ferry passengers pill gadgets so they might register inside their autos, however will now use kiosks much like these at Eurostar and Eurotunnel. The port has reclaimed some land from the ocean to create extra space for processing.In the course of the preliminary transition interval, the port will have the ability to briefly stand down EES if queues get too lengthy, and revert to handbook passport stamping.Eurotunnel chief government Yann Leriche says there shall be no “chaos” or queues on the Channel tunnel, insisting his firm has achieved in depth modelling and is absolutely ready.Equally, Eurostar hopes its choice to restrict EES initially to some enterprise travellers earlier than increasing its use will assist to stop queues. What’s ETIAS and when is that coming?The EU can be introducing a brand new visa waiver system linked to passports referred to as the European Journey Info and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which is able to construct on the EES. Residents of non-EU nations who do not want a visa to enter the EU – together with folks from the UK – will have the ability to apply on-line for authorisation earlier than they journey. ETIAS is not as a consequence of begin till the tip of 2026, however the remaining date has not but been confirmed.It is going to value €20 (£17.47) per software, and shall be legitimate for 3 years. Folks aged underneath 18 and over 70 might want to apply, however will not need to pay.