EU's new digital border system to bring challenges and delays for UK travellers and transport

The European Commission has set 12 October 2025 as the launch date for the start of operations of the Entry/Exit System (EES). From 12 October onwards, the EES will be progressively rolled out at the external borders of 29 European countries, over a period of six months. This progressive roll-out will give border authorities, travellers and the transport industry more time to adjust to new procedures.

The EES is an advanced IT system that will digitally record the entries and exits of non-EU nationals travelling to 29 European countries, for short stays. It will register biometric data, such as fingerprints, facial images, and other travel information. Since the UK’s exit from the EU in 2021 this means UK commercial and passenger transport companies will face considerable new challenges when travelling to Europe.

The expectations of EES are that it will modernise and improve the management of external borders. By accurately tracking data, it will help prevent irregular immigration, identify overstayers, and reduce identity fraud. Internal security will be enhanced through real-time access to reliable information, enabling relevant national authorities to swiftly identify individuals posing a security threat. Additionally, with the increased use of automated border checks, travelling will become smoother and safer for all.

From 12 October onwards, European countries using the EES will start introducing the EES gradually over a period of six months. Border authorities will progressively register the data of third country (UK) nationals crossing the external Schengen borders. At the end of the progressive period, the EES will be fully deployed at all border crossing points.

This week the UK foreign office has issued a heads-up warning to travellers; UK visitors and workers will be required to create a digital record when they first enter the Schengen zone at point of entry. Visitors will need to have their fingerprints taken and a photograph taken at special booths. No pre-travel info is needed before shipping of flying to a Schengen country, but travellers should “brace themselves” for longer queues on arrival. Anyone with a UK passport who has flew in or out of a European airport recently can only imagine what the additional queues will be like as each individual has their details recorded, one fears we UK travellers have only been experiencing the warm up act of full EU border controls and we will soon fully experience what leaving the free movement of people is like as we are experiencing with the movement of freight. For crossings via Dover, Eurotunnel or St Pancras formalities will be made pre departure, all already potential crunch points under normal passport checks. A fingerprint or face image may also be needed when exiting the Schengen area.

The introduction of EES is linked to the dreaded 90/180 rule for all UK travellers, exceeding this will be flagged by the new system and may result in fines, suspensions or bans from re-entering the EU.