London’s mayor Sadiq Khan has warned that the introduction of the EU’s new Entry-Exit System (EES) could cause “chaos” for passengers on Eurostar services unless the UK government takes action.
EES is currently due to be introduced across most EU countries in late 2024 after several delays to its implementation. It will require visitors from third countries, such as the UK and US, to have biometric data such as fingerprints and facial images recorded at their first point of entry into the EU.
HS1, which operates the high-speed rail line between London’s St Pancras station and the Channel tunnel, said last week that EES’s introduction could lead to long delays on Eurostar journeys, alongside the potential capping of services and passenger numbers. It added that the current plans to deal with the implementation of EES were “inadequate”.
Khan, the Labour mayor of London, called on the UK government to provide support to HS1 and Eurostar to ensure that any issues arising from EES could be resolved before its likely introduction in October.
During a radio interview, Khan added: “The success of Eurostar is a vital part of London’s and the UK’s economic success – with St Pancras a gateway for huge numbers of tourists and business people in the country.
“As it stands, these new post-Brexit checks will cause chaos at St Pancras, with cuts to services and potentially huge queues facing passengers at peak times. This is directly a result of Brexit and it’s not an issue ministers can now wash their hands of.
“Ministers now need to offer HS1 and Eurostar all the support it needs to resolve these issues as a matter of urgency. Cuts to services and longer delays simply isn’t an option.”
EES is set to be followed by the introduction of ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) for third country travellers in mid-2025. The UK is also currently rolling out its own Electronic Travel Authorisation system. The introduction of these digital travel authorisation systems is one of the major developments highlighted in BTN Europe’s Hotlist 2024.