Govt pledges £10 million to smooth transition to new EU border rules
James ChappleThe government has pledged £10.5 million to smooth the transition to new EU border rules, which will take effect in the autumn.
Ministers have committed £3.5 million each to the Port of Dover, Eurostar at St Pancras International station in London, and Eurotunnel in Folkestone.
The EU Entry-Exit System (EES) will go live on 10 November and will require travellers from the UK and other non-EU countries to submit to biometric checks at the border, which will replace passport stamping.
These digital border checks will involve travellers having their fingerprints and photograph taken, information that will remain on file for three years.
No cash has been pledged for UK airports. This is because checks for holidaymakers travelling to EU destinations by air will take place at their arrival airport rather than upon leaving the UK.
Travel facing race against time to get ready for new EU border rules
The government said the funding would help ports install the necessary equipment to administer EES and to get sites ready for the checks "to reduce the risk of queuing and disruption".
Transport minister Lilian Greenwood said no one wanted to see "excessive queues" at the border, adding the funding was designed to up preparedness in the UK despite EES being an EU initiative.
Immigration minister Seema Malhotra had been due to visit the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel on Tuesday (27 August) to assess the progress of ongoing EES preparatory work.
She said EES checks would be "a significant change" to the EY border, adding the additional would ensure ports have the right technology and processes so registration takes please "as smoothly as possible".
In Dover, the funds will use to speed up work on its Granville Dock Project, which will see the existing marina at Dover’s Western Docks infilled to be used as a site for EES processing.
At Eurostar and Eurotunnel, meanwhile, the money will be used to install addition kiosks to process travellers, undertake testing to reduce the risk of diiruption, and support the necessary recruitment and training to get the UK up and running with EES.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said the announcement came as part of the government’s new plan to prepare for EES, which comes after the Home Office gave French border officials licence to operate within an expanded border control at Dover with more space to process passengers.
Everything you need to know about the EU Entry-Exit System
Emma Ward, the Port of Dover’s chief operations officer, said the new funding commitment was a welcome step, adding the port would continue to work with the UK government and French border officials to deliver "more seamless travel between the UK and EU".
Eurostar said it had made "substantial investments" in its infrastructure, facilities and technology, and would be "fully prepared and compliant" by November.
Eurotunnel operator Getlink said it started work on its preparations two years ago, and that the money would be used to test and add new technology at its UK terminal. It currently has 106 kiosks in the UK to service passengers, and stood ready to add more if needed. It will also use some of the cash to invest in recruitment and training of staff.
Getlink said it has so far invested more than £70 million in its operations and facilities to get ready for EES.
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