UK Allocates £10.5 Million for Port Upgrades Ahead of EU Border Checks

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  • The UK will invest £10.5 million to help ports prepare for the EU’s new digital border checks.
  • The Entry and Exit System (EES) will require biometric registration for UK travelers entering the EU.
  • Key ports like Dover and Eurostar will receive funding to minimize disruptions.

The British government has announced a plan to invest £10.5 million ($13.9 million) to help its ports prepare for the European Union’s upcoming post-Brexit security checks. These checks will be part of the new digital border system called the Entry and Exit System (EES), which is set to be introduced this autumn, reports Reuters.

Preparing for EES Checks

The EES will replace the need for manual passport scans, requiring travelers from the UK and other non-EU countries to register at the border. This process includes facial scans and fingerprinting, creating a digital record linking a person’s identity to their travel document through biometrics.

The UK’s Labour government, which took office in July, has expressed concerns that the country is not fully prepared for these new checks and that there could be significant disruptions.

The £10.5 million funding is aimed at helping ports implement the necessary technology, install kiosks, and recruit and train staff to manage the EES.

Targeted Ports

Key locations such as the Port of Dover, the Eurotunnel at Folkestone, and the Eurostar at St Pancras station in London will each receive £3.5 million to support these preparations.

“While EES checks will be a significant change to the EU border, we are working hard with the European Commission, member states and ports to ensure we are well prepared, and minimise any disruption for Brits travelling into Europe,” said Seema Malhotra, Britain’s minister for migration and citizenship.

The UK formally left the EU on January 31, 2020, and exited the European single market in 2021. The introduction of the EES marks a significant change in how UK nationals will enter the EU post-Brexit.

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Source: Reuters