From next autumn, Britons travelling to the EU will likely face waiting time at border control three times longer than now – an issue sparking concern not just among UK tourists.
UK passport holders arriving from outside the Schengen area for the first time after October 6 will need to have their data – including fingerprint and photo ID – recorded into an EU-wide database.
France’s public finance watchdog Cour des Comptes estimated that the initial registration will at least double and potentially triple the processing time.
As a result, it is feared a longer processing time will lead to huge queues – which could have an impact not just on Britons entering the EU but also on travel companies.
The report by the watchdog said: “Even though the average check time has increased since Brexit for Eurostar, doubling or tripling wait time could drive some travellers to opt for a plane.”
However, similar delays will likely be faced also at airports and ports. Tests of the system showed the new procedure in these areas added two minutes to the time it takes to pass through checks.
Once UK travellers have their data registered, they will only need to scan their passports of travel documents under the new Entry/Exit System (EES).
The delays could even be worsened by the introduction at the same time of another travel check – the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) which will see all those crossing the EU border undergo US-style criminal record checks.
Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, expressed concern about the chaos that could ensue as a result of these new schemes being enforced at the same time – and noted technology should make travelling smoother rather than more complicated.
He said: “With two new EU schemes due to come into force in the same year there is the danger of a bottleneck.
“New schemes like these take time to bed in, and will undoubtedly create some complexity and confusion. Travel is supposed to be more seamless with technology, not more complex.”
The EES will be applied to all non-EU passport holders, and since Brexit happened Britons have been considered within the bloc as third-country nationals.
The system was meant to be introduced in May 2024, but it was pushed back following IT problems. Moreover, French officials reportedly didn’t want the scheme in place during the Olympics, taking place in Paris next year.
To tackle the expected delays, France has ordered 544 special “data kiosks” for travellers and 250 tablets for ferry passengers in cars.
