French border officials to be deployed in Dover to speed up checks

Under the EU’s Entry-Exit System (EES), due to take effect in November following lengthy delays, travellers crossing external EU borders, such as with the UK, will have to register their details at the EU border and provide biometric data. 

The Home Office will introduce legislation enabling French border officials to operate within an expanded control zone at Dover to speed up checks.

However, although processing is supposed to take no more than five minutes, concerns have been raised that arrivals could be left waiting for hours at peak times.

Some 24 kiosks for checks on coaches will be set up on the western docks, but a change in the law is required to allow the armed French officers to operate in that area. 

Home Officer minister Seema Malhotra will lay a Statutory Instrument in Parliament on Monday (29 July) to allow French border officials to operate in an expanded zone at Port of Dover, the BBC reports.

It will commit the Home Office to working with the French government, local authorities and businesses to streamline EU border checks at the port.