The Justice and Home Affairs Committee has said that there could be major travel disruption for Britons if the government does not act quickly to be better prepared for the electronic border management systems.
The UK continues to roll out its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) alongside the launch of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) and Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETIAS).
The timetable for the implementation of these changes is very challenging, according to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee, with the latter stressing that there is a lack of coordination on the launch of these schemes, SchengenNews reports.
Due to the lack of coordination, the Justice and Home Affairs Committee warned that delays as well as challenges are very likely to arise if the rollout of the UK’s ETA clashes with the launch of the EU’s EES.
The timetable for the implementation of changes at the border is extremely ambitious. There is a lack of coordination with the EU on the launch of its schemes, with challenges and delays likely to arise if the rollout of the ETA for EU citizens clashes with the launch of the EES.
In addition to the above-mentioned, the Committee stressed that there is currently limited public awareness about the changes that will be introduced at the border soon.
EES Will Lead to Long Delays When It Is Implemented, UK Foreign Secretary Says
Speaking on the current situation, the UK Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, said that he is very worried that the EES will lead to long delays once its implementation begins.
According to BBC, Cameron stressed that the EU’s new border IT system still needs testing as well as improvement.
There are some big choke points at Dover and St Pancras – and I’m really worried about there being long delays for people.
EES, which will replace manual passport stamping, will officially launch this autumn. The system will require all visitors to the bloc to take a photo, provide passport details and register their fingerprints in order to be permitted entry into the EU.
This means that all Britons planning to cross the external border of the EU will have to undergo the registration process and provide all the required data.
They will then have to scan their passports or any other travel documents at an automated self-service kiosk before crossing the border.
This process could lead to long queues as every person will need extra time to register. The EU authorities have said that the registration process will also be possible through a mobile app, but they have not yet revealed any details in this regard.
