A UK-EU summit agreement on 20 May 2025 confirmed there are no longer legal barriers to Britons using e-gates at EU borders after EES launches. The practical change, however, will not arrive until October at the earliest.
In May 2024, the EU's Entry/Exit System was expected by October that year. Eurostar had invested EUR 10 million in new kiosks at St Pancras, while Getlink was spending EUR 70 million at Eurotunnel. This is how the Channel crossing was being reshaped.
The European Commission says the Entry/Exit System is foreseen for October 2025 after earlier delays. Operators at Dover, Eurostar and Eurotunnel say they are preparing infrastructure, but uncertainty over the exact launch date keeps queue concerns in focus.
Days before the EES launch, tests at Eurotunnel kiosks showed roughly two minutes of screen time per person. Getlink invested EUR 80 million in the infrastructure while Eurostar fitted 49 kiosks at St Pancras.
When the EU Entry/Exit System takes effect, British passport holders will for the first time need to provide biometric data at European borders. This article, written in late 2023, previews what the new checks will require and what the processing challenges could look like at key UK departure points.
In February 2024, IATA described EES and ETIAS as a major operational change for airlines, not just a policy update for travellers. The industry body focused on system scope, manual checks and transition periods that could complicate boarding decisions.
The EU's Entry/Exit System was pushed back once more in July 2024, shifting its expected October launch to at least November. The delay, driven partly by French concerns over capacity, continued a years-long pattern of postponements for the biometric border programme.
The EU's Entry/Exit System started a phased rollout on 12 October 2025, introducing biometric checks at Schengen borders for non-EU nationals. Full implementation is expected by April 2026.
ABTA's updated consumer guidance recasts Europe travel as a preparation issue rather than a last-minute border surprise. Its message is that travellers should understand the phased EES rollout now, while remembering that ETIAS is not yet open for applications.
ABTA presented EES and ETIAS as changes that travel businesses needed to explain well before implementation. Its guidance model combined a member hub, a consumer advice page and regular updates as more official detail became available.