Post Brexit, British Tourists Complain of EU’s Biometric Border Rules

Brussels seems to be reconsidering the new border restrictions for British tourists entering the EU.

British passengers will have to wait for the European Union to implement the new “entry-exit” system (EES) at least Until 2025. Initially planned to launch in October 2024, the system incorporates biometric verification methods, including fingerprints and photos. Nevertheless, several postponements of the debut have occurred, the most recent being in 2022.

The new entry-exit system (EES) will result in biometric checks for vacationers. If the infrastructure cannot manage the increasing demands, this might cause major delays at ports such as Dover, the Channel Tunnel, and the Eurostar station.

Currently, no technology can scan a passenger’s face, passport, and fingerprints without them getting out of their car, which might lead to significant delays at ports like Dover.

Sources in the business have indicated that the project’s debut, which was supposed to take place in October this year, will likely not happen until at least 2025. The app, vital for making the process more efficient, still has development challenges, causing the delay.

Tourists from non-EU nations, including the UK, who drive through ports to the Continent without visas may now have their passports stamped and verified by border guards, which helps keep traffic flowing smoothly.

However, under the new system, Britons must now submit fingerprints and have their picture taken as they enter.

The cost of hiring a large number of extra workers might be passed on to millions of customers in the form of higher ticket costs. Not everything will go according to plan, and severe traffic jams may occur.

Nevertheless, insiders in the business have expressed concerns over the EU’s dedication to the planned system launch in October 2024. Testing has encountered problems in some nations due to a lack of infrastructure.

Travelers may use the EES system to enter and exit the 25 European Union member states and the four non-EU nations that comprise the borderless Schengen region.

Anyone traveling to one of the 29 participating nations who is not a citizen of an EU or Schengen country will be subject to the system.