Concerns about the EU’s new Entry/Exit System have not been assuaged by Continued from page 48


a career. Lots of countries do this better than we do. We need to learn lessons from them. A career in hospitality is a good career.” He suggests “less aspic and


more spice” in the UK’s image would help, arguing: “We’ve got a bit obsessed with showing people what we used to be like, but we want people to come for the here and now. An awful lot of people come to the UK to see a concert or to go to football and we need to build on that. “There are so many parts


of the pattern of visiting we need to look at.” Bryant notes other countries


have “national centres of excellence in hospitality or tourism and we haven’t got that” and says: “I have the building blocks of a plan in the back of my cerebellum.” He insists: “There is a lot


we’re on the verge of doing, a lot waiting on the spending review and the Budget.” Asked if he is nervous


about the Budget’s impact on departmental spending, he says: “It is very, very tough. There are lots of things we’d like to be able to do, but it’s tough.” However, he sees the


government’s focus on growth as positive for the sector, saying: “Everybody in hospitality and tourism talks to me about planning [and] Keir [Starmer] has said repeatedly we need to look at planning reform. “I can’t stress enough how


important economic growth is for us. My first question to everybody in tourism is, what is the barrier to growth that the government can deal with?”


Industry leaders fear simultaneous launch of systems


Industry leaders are urging the UK government not to introduce its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, set for wholesale launch next April, alongside the EU’s delayed Entry/Exit System (EES). Eurostar general secretary


and chief strategic partnerships officer Gareth Williams told the Lords’ Justice and Home Affairs


The UK is due to launch its ETA system in April


Committee last week: “We’ve asked can we not have two systems introduced at once.” However, he said: “It’s difficult


for the Home Office to make plans amid this uncertainty.” Williams argued: “We’re seeing


a huge amount introduced at the border – interactive AI, the ETA, EES, and [next year] the European Travel Information and Authorisation System [Etias]. Our concern is the systems don’t join up. They ask for very similar information through different channels, and the more you require the same information, the less compliance you get. We’ve asked the UK and EU to take a step back.” John Keefe, chief corporate


and public affairs officer at Getlink Group, formerly Eurotunnel, said: “There is a risk [the systems] will be introduced at the same time.”


EU yet to indicate new date for EES introduction


There is no indication when the EU will now introduce its biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) after announcing a delay of the planned launch on November 10 earlier this month. Industry leaders and those


in charge of UK preparations remain in the dark, although the EC has said it will take “a phased approach” to introducing the system without giving details. The EES will replace passport


checks at the border, with all non-EU citizens required to register their biometric ID – photo and fingerprints – on first entry. Giving evidence to the House


of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee last week, Eurostar general secretary and chief strategic partnerships officer Gareth Williams said: “We would very much support a phased approach.” But he added: “Do we


understand what they mean by a phased approach? No. We would


46 24 OCTOBER 2024


like it to mean phased in terms of volume and like to start so there is less pressure in the summer.” John Keefe, chief corporate and


public affairs officer at the Getlink Group, formerly Eurotunnel, agreed, saying “we would all like answers”. He told the committee: “We


expect the EU won’t go for a big bang across every point of entry. “It may reduce the requirement


for data capture, possibly [seeking] only facial biometrics or possibly only fingerprints. But we don’t have clarity.” However, Williams insisted:


“We’re not interested in a partial filing [of data]. We’re interested in starting with 5% or 10% of passengers and building up from there.” Keefe added: “Progressive


entry [of the system] seems sensible. Possibly it will start in a small port of entry where we don’t get large volumes of traffic.” He argued: “The volumes of traffic we carry hourly mean we


need the system to be robust. It’s not feasible to introduce a partially tested, unreliable system. “Testing is the critical part of


it. We’re set up for a six-month testing period before going live. We hope there will be a very robust testing process.” Keefe suggested: “There is


plenty of additional tech that could speed up the collection of biometric information and relieve some of the pressure. The process could be made a great deal more efficient. [But] development of additional technology has essentially been on hold.”


travelweekly.co.uk


Fingerprints will be a requirement of the EES


PICTURE: Shutterstock/1000 Words


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