The British government today announced a new agreement with the European Union (EU) affecting a wide range of regulations. For the commercial aviation sector, the most notable news of this comprehensive agreement is that the EU has agreed to allow British passport holders to use eGates at more airports in the region, which will speed up border checks.
Since the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU, known as "Brexit," British passport holders have largely been forced to abandon automated border control systems (eGates) and have their documents manually stamped by border officials. This often resulted in longer wait times when entering EU countries by air and contrasted with the regulatory easing promised in the run-up to the Brexit vote. Now, British citizens will see a partial return to previous practices, as more EU airports will allow them to use eGates.
There were already some exceptions to this rule. For example, certain airports in Portugal and Spain allowed British passport holders to cross the border via eGates. Under the new agreement between the UK and the EU, this is now to be rolled out on a wider basis, as the UK government confirmed in a statement. According to the agreement, British holidaymakers will be able to use more eGates in Europe in the future, which should reduce waiting times at border controls. The agreement also includes easing the travel of pets through the introduction of "pet passports" for British cats and dogs, which will eliminate the need for health certificates for each animal for each journey.
Innovation in connection with EU border reforms
The UK government did not provide a precise timeframe for wider access to EU eGates for British passport holders. However, as The Independent reports, this move is linked to European border reforms. Specifically, a new Entry/Exit System (EES) is set to be introduced in the EU in October, which will eliminate the need to stamp passports of non-EU citizens when crossing borders.
Instead, biometric data will play an increasing role in verifying entry into the EU, with fingerprints replacing physical passport stamps as a means of controlling length of stay. This biometric data, along with a corresponding photograph of the individual, will be stored in a database for three years. Currently, according to the UK government, British passport holders can enter the EU visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
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