New EU border checks could cause four hour waits and cost UK economy £400m, industry warns
Warning issued to Brits over new EU border rules
- The Entry Exit System (EES) is being introduced on Sunday, requiring UK travellers to register fingerprints and have a photograph taken to enter the Schengen area.
- Travel firms are warning of potential four-hour queues for UK travellers, despite the Home Office stating checks should take only one to two minutes.
- Logistics UK estimates that delays for hauliers due to the EES could cost the UK economy £400 million annually, urging the government to negotiate with the EU.
- The Liberal Democrats criticised the government for failing to negotiate properly, suggesting the lost funds could instead support over 16,000 new NHS nurses.
- The phased rollout of the EES has been described as a "complete muddle" by the European travel association Etoa, with concerns about a lack of clear information.