ETIAS or a Schengen Visa from 2024
Drop in for a natter about anything French related.-
Hotrodder
- Posts: 2369
- Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 8:31 pm
- Location: Brittany 22
ETIAS or a Schengen Visa from 2024
Can someone please enlighten this ignorant soul, what is a PAF?
Humanity landed on the moon over fifty years ago but it seems too much to ask for a reliable telephone/internet service in rural France.
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niemeyjt
- Posts: 3942
- Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:34 pm
- Location: Lausanne (and sometimes Suffolk)
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niemeyjt
- Posts: 3942
- Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:34 pm
- Location: Lausanne (and sometimes Suffolk)
ETIAS or a Schengen Visa from 2024
Well the Swiss let me back in so I guess all is good in the world of Schengen! A pity the e-gates were all broken resulting in long queues. Broken e-gates seem not to be unique to the UK.
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elsie
- Posts: 644
- Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:11 am
ETIAS or a Schengen Visa from 2024
The UK Parliament European Scrutiny Committee is
launching an inquiry into EU Entry/Exit and the UK border
and submissions are invited
launching an inquiry into EU Entry/Exit and the UK border
and submissions are invited
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niemeyjt
- Posts: 3942
- Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:34 pm
- Location: Lausanne (and sometimes Suffolk)
ETIAS or a Schengen Visa from 2024
I am not sure how they think any form of remote registration would work - otherwise the EU cannot tell if the person travelling is the person who was registered.
The whole thing is pure theatre anyhow.
The whole thing is pure theatre anyhow.
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niemeyjt
- Posts: 3942
- Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:34 pm
- Location: Lausanne (and sometimes Suffolk)
ETIAS or a Schengen Visa from 2024
Travel fears over ‘big bang’ launch of EU border system in autumn 2024
Ryanair has warned that the EU’s much-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES) is not yet fit for testing – even though the European Commission has vowed to launch the “smart borders” project at a single moment next year.
The Independent has studied the evidence provided by Europe’s biggest budget airline to the UK parliament’s European scrutiny committee. It backs up concerns expressed privately by senior travel industry figures about the risks involved in imposing the Entry/Exit System at a single moment.
But Brussels insists the pan-European linkage of all frontiers to a central database will happen on a big-bang basis. Officials in Brussels have confirmed to The Independent that “no ‘soft launch’ is foreseen” for the new system.
In its evidence, Ryanair laments the lack of information provided and ability to develop systems that will work on day one.
The airline says: “It is not yet possible to properly test changes to our systems due to delays in providing test environments and many aspects of the system requirements either have not been specified or are simply not clear to us.
“This makes meeting the requirements very difficult, regardless of the repeated delays in the implementation date.
“Overall, this whole project has been delayed multiple times and has been poorly managed.”
Ryanair says the implementation date has “been postponed on three occasions due to the complexity of the programmes and the lack of readiness of border authorities across the EU”.
But the European Commission believes all the member states will be ready by the end of July 2024, with the Europe-wide launch in the autumn.
EES represents the biggest-ever change to European Union borders. All entries to, and exits from, the EU and wider Schengen area will be registered centrally.
The aim is to make Europe’s borders more secure, particularly against potential terrorists, and to tackle overstaying and illegal migration.
The Entry/Exit System will apply to all EU nations except Cyprus and Ireland – plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
The UK was involved in the initial development of EES up to June 2016. After the EU referendum, the government negotiated for British passport holders to become “third-country nationals” and therefore subject to the new digital system.
Once the Entry/Exit System is in operation, British travellers will have to provide fingerprints and facial biometrics on their first encounter with the new frontier formalities. For subsequent visits within three years (or the life of the passport), only one biometric need be checked. This is likely to be the face, which is easier to register.
One senior travel industry figure told The Independent: “To us it looks like madness to assume every border post, from Norway and Russia in the Arctic to Bulgaria and Turkey in the south will be ready on a single day. It makes much more sense to test it out one stage at a time.”
But the EU believes that the coherence of the whole system depends on it starting on a common date – to allow everyone crossing in or out of Europe from that day to be registered.
The European Commission spokesperson for justice, equality and rule of law, Christian Wigand, said his organisation and individual member states were working “to ensure that everything will be ready for the successful launch of the Entry/Exit System”.
According to Eurotunnel the provisional date for implementation is Sunday 6 October 2024.
Mr Wigand told The Independent: “Member states should be ready by end of July 2024, after which the exact start date will be published.”
France requested that EES should be deferred until after the Paris Olympics, which will end in early August 2024.
The European Commission ambitiously boasts: “The main advantage of the EES is saving time. The EES replaces passport stamping and automates border control procedures, making travelling to European countries using the EES more efficient for the traveller.”
But the requirement to submit fingerprints and facial biometrics will sharply increase the processing time at ports, rail terminals and airports.
The challenge is particularly acute at the two hard European Union frontiers in Kent: the Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone. Passport checks are “juxtaposed”, meaning that French Police aux Frontières examine documents before motorists make their Channel crossing.
EU citizens will not be required to undergo any such tests. However, most cross-Channel travellers are British.
Eurotunnel estimates the average time for processing a car through the French frontier will rise from under 60 seconds to between five and seven minutes for the initial registration of data.
Remember, there is no situation that a politician (UK or EU) cannot make worse. Besides, it is pure theatre.
source: https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/ne ... 65746.html
Ryanair has warned that the EU’s much-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES) is not yet fit for testing – even though the European Commission has vowed to launch the “smart borders” project at a single moment next year.
The Independent has studied the evidence provided by Europe’s biggest budget airline to the UK parliament’s European scrutiny committee. It backs up concerns expressed privately by senior travel industry figures about the risks involved in imposing the Entry/Exit System at a single moment.
But Brussels insists the pan-European linkage of all frontiers to a central database will happen on a big-bang basis. Officials in Brussels have confirmed to The Independent that “no ‘soft launch’ is foreseen” for the new system.
In its evidence, Ryanair laments the lack of information provided and ability to develop systems that will work on day one.
The airline says: “It is not yet possible to properly test changes to our systems due to delays in providing test environments and many aspects of the system requirements either have not been specified or are simply not clear to us.
“This makes meeting the requirements very difficult, regardless of the repeated delays in the implementation date.
“Overall, this whole project has been delayed multiple times and has been poorly managed.”
Ryanair says the implementation date has “been postponed on three occasions due to the complexity of the programmes and the lack of readiness of border authorities across the EU”.
But the European Commission believes all the member states will be ready by the end of July 2024, with the Europe-wide launch in the autumn.
EES represents the biggest-ever change to European Union borders. All entries to, and exits from, the EU and wider Schengen area will be registered centrally.
The aim is to make Europe’s borders more secure, particularly against potential terrorists, and to tackle overstaying and illegal migration.
The Entry/Exit System will apply to all EU nations except Cyprus and Ireland – plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
The UK was involved in the initial development of EES up to June 2016. After the EU referendum, the government negotiated for British passport holders to become “third-country nationals” and therefore subject to the new digital system.
Once the Entry/Exit System is in operation, British travellers will have to provide fingerprints and facial biometrics on their first encounter with the new frontier formalities. For subsequent visits within three years (or the life of the passport), only one biometric need be checked. This is likely to be the face, which is easier to register.
One senior travel industry figure told The Independent: “To us it looks like madness to assume every border post, from Norway and Russia in the Arctic to Bulgaria and Turkey in the south will be ready on a single day. It makes much more sense to test it out one stage at a time.”
But the EU believes that the coherence of the whole system depends on it starting on a common date – to allow everyone crossing in or out of Europe from that day to be registered.
The European Commission spokesperson for justice, equality and rule of law, Christian Wigand, said his organisation and individual member states were working “to ensure that everything will be ready for the successful launch of the Entry/Exit System”.
According to Eurotunnel the provisional date for implementation is Sunday 6 October 2024.
Mr Wigand told The Independent: “Member states should be ready by end of July 2024, after which the exact start date will be published.”
France requested that EES should be deferred until after the Paris Olympics, which will end in early August 2024.
The European Commission ambitiously boasts: “The main advantage of the EES is saving time. The EES replaces passport stamping and automates border control procedures, making travelling to European countries using the EES more efficient for the traveller.”
But the requirement to submit fingerprints and facial biometrics will sharply increase the processing time at ports, rail terminals and airports.
The challenge is particularly acute at the two hard European Union frontiers in Kent: the Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone. Passport checks are “juxtaposed”, meaning that French Police aux Frontières examine documents before motorists make their Channel crossing.
EU citizens will not be required to undergo any such tests. However, most cross-Channel travellers are British.
Eurotunnel estimates the average time for processing a car through the French frontier will rise from under 60 seconds to between five and seven minutes for the initial registration of data.
Remember, there is no situation that a politician (UK or EU) cannot make worse. Besides, it is pure theatre.
source: https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/ne ... 65746.html
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niemeyjt
- Posts: 3942
- Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:34 pm
- Location: Lausanne (and sometimes Suffolk)
ETIAS or a Schengen Visa from 2024
The theatre continues . . .
New EU fingerprint scheme may cause 14-hour border queues
British holidaymakers may face 14-hour queues to enter Europe under new EU border checks, MPs have been told.
In an “alarming” briefing, Parliament was warned huge tailbacks could build up at Dover when Brussels introduces fingerprint and facial recognition checks for all visitors.
The EU has said it will finally introduce its heavily delayed Entry/Exit System this autumn in a major blow to holidaymakers and the tourism industry.
Brussels has repeatedly put off bringing in the checks amid warnings from travel firms that they will cause chaos at the borders of European states.
Ashford Borough Council, which covers a large swathe of Kent inland from Dover, said its “reasonable worst-case scenario” would be a wait time of 14 hours.
It said such tailbacks at the port would see queues along the A20 and M20, which could in turn block access to traffic at the Eurotunnel in Folkestone.
In written evidence to the Commons European Scrutiny Committee it also warned that “such queues will create welfare concerns for passengers”.
Visit Kent, the country’s tourism board, added that the delays caused by the new system could have a serious knock-on effect on local businesses.
‘The clock is ticking’
Sir Bill Cash, the committee’s chairman, said the testimony “paints an alarming picture of the possible risks” surrounding the rollout of the checks.
He added: “Clearly, this policy could have a very serious impact, not only for tourists and travel operators but also for local businesses.
“I implore decision makers on both sides of the Channel to take note of this evidence.
“The scheme is due to be implemented in October this year. The clock is ticking and these issues must be urgently addressed.”
Under the new controls, all visitors to the EU will have to provide their fingerprints and a photograph alongside their passport on their first visit.
Tourists will also have to pay £6 for a travel authorisation known as an ETIAS – modelled on the US ESTA scheme – which will be valid for three years.
Eurostar separately warned that the EU’s refusal to allow passengers to pre-register their details would “put enormous pressure” on St Pancras.
It said that tourists using the train link to the continent could expect to have to queue for more than an hour at peak times because of the checks.
Downing Street sought to downplay the risks of delays when the entry-exit system is rolled out and said it was working with France to minimise any disruption.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “There are tried and tested contingency plans in place and a lot of work is managed by the Kent Resilience Forum.
“We will make sure we’re prepared and our focus remains on ensuring the scheme does not unnecessarily impact local communities or result in delays for travellers.
“We are working very closely with the French, with all the port authorities to ensure that travellers and passengers do not experience unnecessary delays.”
source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/0 ... day-dover/
New EU fingerprint scheme may cause 14-hour border queues
British holidaymakers may face 14-hour queues to enter Europe under new EU border checks, MPs have been told.
In an “alarming” briefing, Parliament was warned huge tailbacks could build up at Dover when Brussels introduces fingerprint and facial recognition checks for all visitors.
The EU has said it will finally introduce its heavily delayed Entry/Exit System this autumn in a major blow to holidaymakers and the tourism industry.
Brussels has repeatedly put off bringing in the checks amid warnings from travel firms that they will cause chaos at the borders of European states.
Ashford Borough Council, which covers a large swathe of Kent inland from Dover, said its “reasonable worst-case scenario” would be a wait time of 14 hours.
It said such tailbacks at the port would see queues along the A20 and M20, which could in turn block access to traffic at the Eurotunnel in Folkestone.
In written evidence to the Commons European Scrutiny Committee it also warned that “such queues will create welfare concerns for passengers”.
Visit Kent, the country’s tourism board, added that the delays caused by the new system could have a serious knock-on effect on local businesses.
‘The clock is ticking’
Sir Bill Cash, the committee’s chairman, said the testimony “paints an alarming picture of the possible risks” surrounding the rollout of the checks.
He added: “Clearly, this policy could have a very serious impact, not only for tourists and travel operators but also for local businesses.
“I implore decision makers on both sides of the Channel to take note of this evidence.
“The scheme is due to be implemented in October this year. The clock is ticking and these issues must be urgently addressed.”
Under the new controls, all visitors to the EU will have to provide their fingerprints and a photograph alongside their passport on their first visit.
Tourists will also have to pay £6 for a travel authorisation known as an ETIAS – modelled on the US ESTA scheme – which will be valid for three years.
Eurostar separately warned that the EU’s refusal to allow passengers to pre-register their details would “put enormous pressure” on St Pancras.
It said that tourists using the train link to the continent could expect to have to queue for more than an hour at peak times because of the checks.
Downing Street sought to downplay the risks of delays when the entry-exit system is rolled out and said it was working with France to minimise any disruption.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “There are tried and tested contingency plans in place and a lot of work is managed by the Kent Resilience Forum.
“We will make sure we’re prepared and our focus remains on ensuring the scheme does not unnecessarily impact local communities or result in delays for travellers.
“We are working very closely with the French, with all the port authorities to ensure that travellers and passengers do not experience unnecessary delays.”
source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/0 ... day-dover/
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elsie
- Posts: 644
- Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:11 am
ETIAS or a Schengen Visa from 2024
Even though this potential problem has been known for years, only now does Dover have plans to extend the port into the sea to create space to accommodate new booths and terminals. Approval has yet to be granted.
At the Folkestone Channel Tunnel terminal a building a new processing area to process non-EU passport holders is already under construction.
At the Folkestone Channel Tunnel terminal a building a new processing area to process non-EU passport holders is already under construction.
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niemeyjt
- Posts: 3942
- Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:34 pm
- Location: Lausanne (and sometimes Suffolk)
ETIAS or a Schengen Visa from 2024
As I see it there are two potential delays - a one-off (hopefully) where fingerprints etc are recorded and every time where every passenger is actually checked. I suspect the works at Eurotunnel maybe for the former.
If I think of Geneva airport, there are three lanes - 1) e-gates for EU passports only, 2) booths for EU passports + diplomats + non-EU with TdS - and 3) other non-EU.
All involve a level of biometric checks of sorts - and if this level of checking is replicated at Dover / Folkestone then it will surely require all passengers of all cars to be checked.
If I think of Geneva airport, there are three lanes - 1) e-gates for EU passports only, 2) booths for EU passports + diplomats + non-EU with TdS - and 3) other non-EU.
All involve a level of biometric checks of sorts - and if this level of checking is replicated at Dover / Folkestone then it will surely require all passengers of all cars to be checked.
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DominicBest
- Posts: 758
- Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2021 10:09 am
ETIAS or a Schengen Visa from 2024
I thought that the planned extension was simply using space in the western docks, no extension into the sea involved.elsie wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2024 12:32 pm Even though this potential problem has been known for years, only now does Dover have plans to extend the port into the sea to create space to accommodate new booths and terminals. Approval has yet to be granted.
At the Folkestone Channel Tunnel terminal a building a new processing area to process non-EU passport holders is already under construction.