Chief executive Mark Tanzer told TTG Abta had been engaging both the UK government and Brussels to minimise the impact of the rollout of the Entry-Exit System (EES), but warned there would be some "initial pain".

Tanzer said he welcomed the EU’s commitment to a six-month "soft launch", something that was hinted at in the House of Commons last month by immigration minister Seema Malhotra, who said a transitional period could last more than six months into the 2025 summer season.

EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson confirmed in a speech to EU officials and staff assigned to the EU agency responsible for large-scale IT systems, eu-LISA, that EES would come into force on 10 November.

‘Every airport, harbour and road’

Johansson said her decision to set a "target date" followed "intense dialogue" with member states and other stakeholders.

She described EES as "the most modern digital border management system in the world", one that had been 10 years in the making and would be "fully inter-operable" linking up "all existing national systems and European systems".

The system will require travellers crossing external EU borders, such as those with the UK, to submit to biometric border checks, which will be kept on file for three years – after which travellers will need to register again with new photos and fingerprints.

"At every single airport, every single harbour, every single road into Europe, we will have digital border controls," Johansson continued. "All switched on at the very same time. When that happens, it will be goodbye to passport stamping [and] hello to digital checks."

Johansson insisted the system would make travel easier and border checks "gradually faster" for all travellers entering the bloc. Last year, more than 700 million tourists travelled to Europe.

She added the system would counter "irregular migration", and make it "harder for criminals, terrorists or Russian spies to use fake passports".

EES will work in tandem with the EU’s €7 (£6) Esta-style visa waiver scheme Etias, which Johansson said would follow "quickly" in 2025.

Arrivals from an initial 60 visa-free countries, including the UK, will have to apply for a three-year Etias visa waiver prior to travelling once the scheme goes live.

‘We don’t want huge queues’

Earlier this year, Abta held an exclusive webinar for members on EES and Etias, which featured an address from EU officials and some of the departments and agencies – DG Home and Frontex – tasked with implementing the two schemes.

Resources for the trade are available from Abta’s member zone to help members talk clients through the changes, and the association has also created a consumer-facing EES and Etias portal to bring the public up to speed.

"We’re seeking sensible, pragmatic solutions with the EU," Tanzer told TTG. "They’ve introduced a six-month almost soft launch where if the facilities aren’t in place in a specific destination to allow people to transit, there will be a softer introduction.

"We’re encouraging destinations to take this approach because I’m convinced whatever date they choose, not all ports will have the equipment, systems and channelling in place. What we don’t want is huge queues.

"Passengers don’t want that, the destinations don’t want it, the EU doesn’t want it and we don’t want it."

Tanzer added he believed EES would ultimately speed up border processes. "There will be more automation. Once we’ve gone through the initial pain of registering for the first time, it will probably be worth it. I just think the process of getting there will be a bit torturous."

Abta’s director of public affairs Luke Petherbridge said: "It is really important the industry takes the time now to understand the new EES system, and what it will mean for their customers and their businesses.

"We are working closely with the European Commission and UK government to establish the next steps for their communications plans and will update members as and when there is more information."

Abta will also be hosting a conference call with members on EES in September.

Last month, Malhotra said the new government was "not content" with the preparation work done by the previous government, echoing the findings of a House of Lords committee in May and subsequent findings from Iata in July.

Malhotra said the government would go out with a "critical" public awareness campaign, something Tanzer said Abta stood ready to work with the government on. She added the government was lobbying for a longer grace period, which is currently expected to run for around six months.