A Lords committee has warned there are still concerns about travel disruption when the new EU digital border system starts in November.
Lord Foster of Bath, chair of the Lords justice and home affairs committee, welcomed the announcement on Tuesday (August 27) that £10.5 million of government funding will help ports to prepare for the new EU Entry/Exit System – but outlined several outstanding problems.
The Department of Transport said the Port of Dover, Eurostar and Eurotunnel will each receive £3.5 million to help them install the necessary technology “in order to reduce the risk of queuing and disruption”.
Lord Foster said: “Now that we have clarity about the date of the EES launch, the government must work with the operators to inform travellers about the requirements of the scheme.
“We also welcome news that the Grenville Dock Project at the Port of Dover will be expedited, but we are concerned that it has not yet received the approval of the French authorities.
“We remain concerned about potential for travel disruption when the EES is introduced.
More: Government provides £10.5m to help prepare for EU border checks
Abta urges members to prepare for new European travel rules in November
Clia to host webinar on EU border requirement changes
“We were told that a mobile phone application which would allow pre-registration for parts of the EES process was in development, and the government should encourage the EU and the French government to make its use possible.”
He also warned about the added complication of the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).
“While the EES is an EU scheme, the UK has also introduced its own Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) as a requirement for short-term visitors to the UK who do not currently require a visa,” he said.
“The port operators have made strong representations that the phasing in of the ETA requirement for EU citizens must not coincide with the introduction of the EES such that travel in both directions is affected at the same time.
“We urge the government to clarify its plans for the ETA and to step up the information campaign about the upcoming changes for travel between the UK and Schengen Area countries.”
In May, the committee noted the ETA has already been introduced for visitors from some Gulf States and welcomed its phased introduction to the rest of the world and then the EU.
But it warned that “sufficient time should be allowed between phases” to allow for the resolution of several issues.
Pictured: Queues at the Port of Dover. Editorial credit: Simon Ward Photography/Shutterstock.com