The EU’s New EES And ETIAS Will Certainly Delay European Holidays… It’s Coming In November

One of the down sides of the New Blue Passport and something that Brexit supporting politicians forgot to mention, was the EU’s new Entry/Exit System.

Something Boris Johnson deliberately negotiated as part of the hard Brexit, was for British citizens to be classed as third-country nations by the EU!

This status means it’s possible, as soon as November this year, that British Passport holders travelling to or through the EU, as well as queuing with your shiny blue passport, you will now need to provide fingerprints, facial scans and details of where you plan to stay and potentially how much money you have to support yourself while in the EU too.

We are anticipating delays at all EU borders, at least until the new systems are bedded in. While you are queuing, you can always admire your new blue passport.

Here is what we know so far about the EU’s new Entry/Exit system.

The European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is scheduled to launch on November 10, 2024. This system will bring significant changes for UK holidaymakers travelling to Europe, as they will be required to provide fingerprints and facial scans, along with their passport and travel details, upon arrival at the border.

Although EES aims to streamline the passport control process by eliminating manual passport stamping, the initial registration process may lead to delays. It is anticipated that processing passengers may take longer when the system is first implemented, potentially resulting in queues. The impact is expected to vary across different countries and airports.

During the first six months, border officers will have the flexibility to adjust the application of EES checks to help manage any queues. ABTA are encouraging airports, ports, and similar facilities to take advantage of these measures, and we urge the European Commission to monitor and review these adjustments if issues persist.

ABTA are also actively engaging with the European Commission and UK Government departments responsible for the rollout of these changes. They anticipate more information to be available in September, including a final confirmation of the launch date and details of a communications campaign to inform travellers about the new requirements.

The UK Government will also be running its own public awareness campaign to ensure that British travellers are well-prepared for EES. ABTA will receive copies of both the UK and EU communication materials, which will be shared with members for use in their own outreach efforts.

In the meantime, Ski Line are looking to ABTA to help us to have resources available to help our clients understand the implications of EES for their holidays.

As the launch date approaches, we will continue to provide updates and plan to discuss the EES during a member conference call in September.

The EU’s New EES And ETIAS Will Certainly Delay European Holidays: A Summary

The European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), launching on November 10, 2024, will require UK travellers to provide fingerprints, facial scans, and travel details when entering the EU, in addition to their passports. This change, a result of Brexit, classifies British citizens as third-country nationals, making border checks more stringent. While the EES aims to streamline the process by eliminating manual passport stamping, initial implementation may cause delays at EU borders. Authorities are preparing to manage queues, and ABTA is coordinating with the UK Government and European Commission to inform travellers of these new requirements.