Christmas meals deliveries beneath menace from EU border checks
Britain’s Christmas food supply chain is under threat from new EU border checks, lorry drivers have warned.
The new checks require all non-EU passengers at Dover to have fingerprint and facial recognition checks.
According to Logistics UK, this will interrupt the flow of goods and there are worries the checks could also risk delaying holidaymakers by creating mile-long traffic jams.
The EU is preparing to roll out its new Entry/Exit System (EES) on November 10 and Logistics UK said the changes threaten to disrupt lorry traffic during the onset of winter when the UK is reliant on imported goods.
Nichola Mallon, head of trade at Logistics UK, told The Telegraph: ‘If the EES is implemented as planned, I’m afraid we’re facing huge upheaval in the supply chain.
The new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is planned for November and Logistics UK warn this could affect the Christmas food supply. (Pictured, traffic on the A20 waiting to enter the Port of Dover in Kent on March 29)
Research from Imperial College London suggests every extra minute for checks adds about 10 miles to queues. (Lorries on the A20 waiting to enter the Port of Dover)
‘The Government needs to take the lead now on raising awareness among the public, managing their expectations and signposting where they can go for advice.’
Calculations suggest the EES could increase processing times for a car with a family of four from less than 60 seconds to seven minutes.
Also, research from Imperial College London suggests every extra minute adds about 10 miles to queues.
Dover is braced for delays of up to 14 hours, with Kent County Council warning jams could be ‘much worse’ than 23-mile tailbacks seen in 2022.
The new system requires people waiting in cars and lorries at Dover to scan their own fingerprints and photos – with the information being stored for three years.
Also, those boarding the Eurotunnel vehicle shuttle at Folkestone and the Eurostar trains at St Pancras International will be directed to special booths.
Dover and Eurotunnel handled 54 per cent of all UK trade with continental Europe last year.
Logistics UK estimates the cost of border delays at £1.30 a minute with a 14-hour hold-up costing £1,100 in additional expense per truck.
The Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone (pictured) is receiving funding to support its EES infrastructure
A sign at the Port of Dover alerting motorists to works being carried out to enable the entry-exit system
The group also warns an average 90-minute extension to journeys would cost the economy £400million a year and any extra cost will be passed onto consumers.
But European mandarins say the system will make the EU more secure by identifying those who outstay visitor visas and will combat identity fraud by requiring the collection of biometric data.
Those who refuse to have a picture taken or their fingerprints scanned will be denied entry into the Schengen travel area.
UK ports are being handed a £10.5million boost from the Government to help them prepare for the enhanced EU border checks.
The Port of Dover says it will use the new funding to expedite work on its project to infill a marina for use as a site for EES processing.
Chief operations officer Emma Ward said: ‘We are doing all that we can to be ready with the facilities that will be used by French border officials operating the new system.’
Eurostar chief safety and stations officer Simon Lejeune said: ‘With support from the Government, we have enhanced our facilities and upgraded our technology to meet the new requirements.
‘Eurostar will be fully prepared and compliant by November, ensuring a smooth transition for all our passengers.’
The new checks will see fingerprints and photographs taken – and refusal means not getting into the EU. (Pictured, passport control at Manchester airport)
Dover plans to station an agent with a tablet next to every car door in the queue to cross the Channel. (Vehicles queue at the Port of Dover, Kent, on August 26)
However, there are delays to the development of an app which will allow British passengers to register their biometric details before travel, potentially smoothing the process.
For air travellers, Britons will be required to give their biometric data upon landing in Europe.
This means airports in Europe will bear the brunt of the cost and responsibility for implementing new infrastructure to administer it.
The EES system will apply when entering 25 EU countries and four non-EU countries which are part of the bloc’s border-free Schengen area.
The system will apply to all nationals of countries that are not in the EU or Schengen when travelling to the 29 countries.
