UK wants EES ‘soft launch’ measures to be extended into summer 2025
It is expected that in the first months of the EU’s new digital borders scheme some passengers will not have to provide fingerprints and a facial image
New border formalities are due from this autumn
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Flexible measures intended for the first six months of the EU’s new digital borders system should be extended into next summer, the UK government says.
A minister for the Home Office told MPs that the UK is pressing for the ‘precautionary measures’ planned for the implementation stage of the European Entry/Exit System (EES) to continue for longer.
These measures – also being referred to by some commentators as a ‘soft launch’ – are expected to see some foreign visitors to the EU not having to undergo a scan of fingerprints or the taking of a facial image. These are expected to be required following the introduction of the new digital borders scheme which will track visitors’ trips to and from the Schengen area.
Seema Malhotra said this is part of the “immediate steps” the Labour government is taking to “improve preparations and levels of readiness”.
Read more: Urgent for foreign families in France to apply for travel document
Along with “close working” with the French government, ports and transport bodies, she said: “We are engaging with the European Commission and member states to lobby for a more pragmatic approach to the application of precautionary measures – these are reactive measures proposed by the EU for the first six months of EES implementation to be used as a safeguard in the case of excessive waiting times, eg. collecting the biometric data of a reduced number of travellers.
“We believe that extending these beyond six months would improve throughput at the EU’s external border should queues form during peak periods in early 2025 due to the additional processing time required for EES.”
Travel industry insiders currently predict that EES will start around November 10, although no official date has so far been given other than ‘the autumn’. This means a first six months soft launch would probably end around late spring.
Read more: French border zone to be expanded ready for new checks
It is thought the UK may be hoping to see these ‘pragmatic’ measures extended through the summer season of 2025.
The minister added: “We are not content with the level of preparations put in place by the previous administration…
“Insufficient progress has been made on ensuring that the impacts are minimised, with disruption being likely when the scheme is introduced.”
