EU states ‘not ready’ for new border checks Brussels wants | World | News

The European Union’s plans for new border controls appeared to be in chaos on Thursday, after reports emerged of further delays to its implementation.

The post-Brexit Entry/Exit System (EES) is supposed to be finally introduced on November 10 after two years of delays.

Back in August, the EU’s Home Affairs Commissioner, Ylva Johansson confidently announced that the moment had finally arrived, saying “everything is coming together”.

The EES requires all non-EU citizens to have their fingerprints or photos taken before entering the Schengen area for the first time after the system is enforced.

However, EU diplomatic sources said there was very little chance that any version of the new system would be ready to be implemented in four weeks’ time.

Major EU states – chief among them Germany, France and the Netherlands – had warned Brussels that they were not ready to implement the changes.

The three countries are responsible for 40 percent of all inward traffic to the EU with major airports including Charles de Gaulle in Paris, Schiphol in the Netherlands and Frankfurt international hub in Germany.

The governments of the three countries wrote to the European Commission in early September to say they could not sign a declaration of “readiness”.

EU ministers were expected to discuss contingency plans for the EES during a meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday.

One would involve a phased launch of the whole scheme port by port and airport by airport over months or even a year.

Another option is to change the EU rules that require biometrics to be taken at borders, allowing tourists and others to upload biometric data on an app or at secure locations away from the ports or airports.

Research data suggests that an overwhelming majority of UK travellers are unaware of the EES.

Almost two-thirds of respondents to a survey in April said they had never heard of the scheme.

UK officials have also warned that there could be huge delays of 14 hours at the border in Dover.

Some 68,000 coaches and 1.6 million cars pass through the port on a yearly basis, and there are concerns the system simply won’t be able to cope with the demand.

The UK government is optimistic that traffic will flow freely, telling euronews.com: “We are supporting ports and carriers to make sure they have the right technology and processes in place so EES registration can take place as smoothly as possible.”