Will new EU border rules undermine UK travel industry? Trade groups to give evidence
The European Scrutiny Committee hears evidence from UK travel industry trade bodies on the likely impact of the EU’s planned Exit/Entry System for British visitors to the bloc.
MPs question representatives from travel trade bodies ABTA and the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT). The session will consider how the Entry/Exit System is likely to impact travel operators and their customers, and how the UK Government is engaging with thupcoming changes.
Meeting details
The Entry/Exit System is set to replace manual passport stamping when crossing in and out of the Schengen Area with an automated IT system. But current plans to allow remote registration is limited to personal details, such as name and date of birth. Biometric data would still need to be taken on arrival at border infrastructure, which could cause problems at UK locations operating ‘juxtaposed’ border controls, like at St Pancras station and the Port of Dover.
MPs are likely to ask about whether the scheme’s potential impact on the UK travel industry, including the possibility for delays at UK terminals, and whether this could undermine the appeal of the UK as a travel destination, particularly for tourists who visit the UK and move on to EU countries.
They may also ask how the UK Government is preparing for the scheme’s implementation, and whether enough is being done to prepare UK travellers for the new requirements.