Thursday, September 19, 2024 Aito hosted a webinar with FCDO’s Louise Nicholls, addressing concerns about the upcoming European Entry System and its potential impact on travelers. The Association of Independent Tour Operators (Aito) recently held a webinar featuring Louise Nicholls, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s (FCDO) diplomatic engagement lead, which was attended by over 100 Aito members. The discussion centered around the European Entry System (EES), which mandates the recording of biometric and fingerprint data at EU borders.
Aito expressed its reassurance regarding the UK government’s lobbying efforts with the EU to address potential issues arising from this new system. Aito has called for EU member states to implement flexible measures during peak travel periods to alleviate long delays anticipated after the EES launch on November 10. There are concerns that not all border points will be adequately equipped to manage the influx of travelers, which could lead to significant bottlenecks at critical times.
Christina Brazier, Aito’s head of industry affairs, emphasized the importance of pragmatic solutions, highlighting that the ability to relax measures during busy periods would help ensure that clients are not adversely affected by the EES regulations. Successful implementation relies heavily on the preparedness and training of border control personnel. While the November 10 start date for the EES remains in place, the FCDO has indicated that formal confirmations of readiness from individual countries are still pending.
Aito noted the varied readiness across Europe and the limited control the UK has over the implementation of these systems in a post-Brexit landscape. Concerns were also raised regarding the European Travel Information and Authorization System (Etias), a visa waiver scheme set to launch in mid-2025. This system will require UK travelers to submit online applications before traveling.
Aito pointed out that clients are already making bookings for 2025, but no definitive start date for Etias has been provided. The FCDO stressed the need for clear trade communications focused on EES to prevent customer confusion and to minimize the risk of fraudulent Etias websites..
