Fears of Easter chaos over scaling up of new EU border system are eased, with no facial IDs for Eurotunnel and Eurostar passengers
Passengers crossing the Channel from the UK to France will not face new biometric checks in the coming weeks, despite an imminent deadline for the complete implementation of the EU’s entry-exit system (EES), ports say.
Airlines and airports across Europe have feared chaos over the Easter holidays.
The EU will officially demand biometric information from all applicable travellers – most non-EU citizens, including Britons – at the border from 10 April. A phased introduction of the system has already caused long delays at some airports.
However, it has emerged that passengers on Eurotunnel’s Le Shuttle service, cross-channel ferries, or Eurostar will not encounter any changes, owing to delays in France’s developing the technology needed to collate and process the biometric information.
