The Lords’ Justice and Home Affairs committee has called on the UK government to work with its counterparts in Brussels to ensure the introduction of the EU Entry-Exit scheme (EES) and related Etias visa waiver doesn’t coincide with the rollout of the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme.
“We are concerned about the pace of change given the current inadequacies in the information being made, the potential disruption if the ETA for EU citizens and the EU’s own EES are introduced at the same time,” said the committee’s chair Lord Foster of Bath in a letter sent to immigration minister Tom Pursglove on Monday (20 May).
"Planning for a gradual and well coordinated implementation of the new schemes is vital to ensure similar chaos at our borders is avoided.”
The committee has also urged UK ministers to use “all diplomatic efforts” to persuade the EU to delay the rollout of its new rules until a smartphone application is available, which it said would save a lot of time at border checks.
The EES is an automated IT system that will register travellers from the UK and other non-EU countries using biometric checks when they cross external EU borders.
Scheduled to start operating from autumn 2024 following multiple delays, the system will replace passport stamping by registering a person’s details such as name, travel document type and biometric information.
The EES will be used alongside Etias – an Esta-style visa waiver scheme which allows people from 60 visa-exempt nations such as the UK to stay in 30 European countries for up to 90 days in a six-month period.
To be implemented from mid-2025, the scheme costs €7 (£6) per person and it will be linked to travellers’ passports. On its side, the UK has already introduced a similar scheme – the £10 ETA – for visitors coming from third-party countries who don’t need a visa for a short-stay.
As of 22 February, travellers from Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan are required to apply for the ETA to enter the UK, with many other countries expected to join over the next few months.
“The committee believes that further tranches of the ETA implementation should not coincide with the rollout of the EES/Etias schemes,” it said. “The committee would support a delay in the introduction of ETA if that is required.”
The House of Lords has also called on the UK and EU governments to work together on a communications campaign to raise awareness of the new rules.
"This should be a priority for the government even if there remains some uncertainty over the launch dates of EES and Etias,” the committee added.
Eurostar is reportedly preparing for EES to take effect from 6 October, with passengers likely to be required to arrive at London St Pancras at least two hours before their service.
According to the Evening Standard, passengers will need their fingerprints and picture taken before embarking on trains to the continent.
