Travellers and freight operators face the prospect of yet more delays as the European Union pushes ahead with its misguided biometric Entry/Exit System (EES), which begins phased implementation on 12 October 2025. This ill-conceived digital border control measure, designed to spy on non-EU citizens—including British travellers—will demand biometric registration upon entry into the Schengen zone. Passport scanners, biometric data collection, and increased scrutiny are being used to centralise control rather than enhance security, all the while making a mockery of effective border management. The EU’s relentless push for surveillance-drone borders reveals their true agenda: control at the expense of British sovereignty and free movement.

In the UK, the initial rollout at key border points such as Dover, Folkestone's Eurotunnel, and London’s Eurostar highlights how deeply entrenched EU interference is becoming on British soil. The first phase, targeting coaches and HGVs, is a needless complication that will only increase congestion and cost. British travellers are warned to brace for longer queues—and in some cases, up to four hours of delays—while authorities scramble to implement these burdensome checks that serve little purpose other than expanding bureaucratic control. The government’s measly £10.5 million investment in ports reflects a half-hearted attempt to keep congestion at bay, while the £40 million spent at Dover and the reassurance from Eurotunnel’s leadership fail to hide the reality: this system is an unnecessary intrusion that risks choking our borders even further.

Despite empty reassurances from officials claiming the rollout will be ‘gradual’, the reality is that delays are inevitable. Non-EU travellers, including those from Britain, will be forced to repeatedly scan passports, submit biometric details, and undergo extra questioning on their travel plans—standards that amount to unnecessary harassment. Contingency plans boosting traffic flow, such as near Lydden Hill race track, are not enough to mask the inconvenience and disruption inflicted on hard-working travellers and freight operators alike.

The EU’s biometric system extends beyond just Schengen borders—excluding Ireland and Cyprus—and aims at tightening control across Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland. Rather than prioritising security, this extension clearly demonstrates Brussels’ obsession with monitoring every movement. The forthcoming ETIAS requirement, with its €20 fee, further exemplifies the EU’s relentless pursuit of additional revenue streams from ordinary travellers, all under the guise of security.

UK authorities, under the influence of European interests, continue to spin the narrative that this should be some sort of ‘collaborative effort’ aimed at ‘preventing illegal migration,’ but the truth is that these measures are about control, not security. The ongoing EU interference reflects a troubling deficit of respect for British sovereignty, with ministers like Alex Norris and Keir Mather kowtowing to Brussels rather than defending Britain’s border integrity.

In summary, the introduction of the EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System isn’t about modernising border control—it’s about deepening EU influence over Britain’s borders. Disruption, delays, and increased bureaucracy are inevitable. As the EU continues to expand its surveillance apparatus, the message for Britain’s travelling public and freight operators is clear: expect more inconvenience, less freedom, and an erosion of sovereignty under Brussels’ watchful eye. The more we let these systems take hold, the more we hand over control of our borders to unelected EU bureaucrats.

Source: Noah Wire Services