EU biometric border system faces more delays

A caller EU borderline power IT strategy which sparked fears of summertime vacation queues astatine Dover has been delayed again.

The Entry/Exit System was owed to beryllium introduced successful precocious May, having already been pushed backmost from past year.

A caller timetable volition purpose to person the exertion successful spot by the extremity of 2023.

Under the strategy radical entering the bloc from non-EU countries - including the UK - volition request to registry fingerprints and a photograph with their passport details.

Once travellers person fixed their fingerprints and details, that registration volition beryllium valid for 3 years.

During that clip it indispensable beryllium validated each clip idiosyncratic crosses the border. This volition regenerate passport-stamping.

The Port of Dover antecedently warned the clip taken for archetypal registration astatine the larboard could origin queues.

The erstwhile brag of Eurostar, who near successful the autumn, had besides expressed concern.

Records from an EU agency's committee gathering past week said the May 2023 day was "considered nary longer achievable", blaming contractor delays.

The EU-LISA agency, which is based successful Tallin and deals with large IT programmes for the bloc, is present readying a revised timetable.

A summary from a gathering past Thursday said: "Border crossing points should beryllium afloat equipped for the usage of the Entry/Exit System by the extremity of the year."

The European Commission has been approached for comment.

When travelling from Dover, introduction to France is checked by passport officers astatine the UK port.

In September, Doug Bannister, main enforcement of the Port of Dover, warned that it could instrumentality 10 minutes to registry 1 car carrying 4 people.

The exertion to beryllium utilized was unclear, but if it was a tablet computer, it could origin delays arsenic it was passed circular successful a car, helium said astatine the time.

He warned the strategy seemed designed for an airdrome environment, alternatively than radical travelling successful vehicles, and the larboard had information concerns astir radical being made to get retired of their vehicles successful the engaged terminal.

However, a spokesperson for the UK authorities said connected Tuesday that passengers would "not acquisition unnecessary delays astatine the border".

The authorities is "working intimately with port authorities, operators and the French government to marque definite passengers are prepared," the spokesperson said.