Industry leaders are urging the British government to delay the introduction of the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, as it might coincide with the introduction of the EU’s Entry-Exit System (EES), a similar border control biometric authorisation system.
“We’ve asked can we not have two systems introduced at once,” Eurostar’s General Secretary and Chief Strategic Partnerships Officer Gareth Williams told the Lords’ Justice and Home Affairs Committee last week.
While some nationals are already required to undergo ETA, the remaining non-EU nationalities will have to sign up and pay for ETA from January 8, 2025. European nationals will be required to have completed ETA to travel to and from the UK, from April 2, 2025, reports EuroNews.
“We’re seeing a huge amount introduced at the border – interactive AI, the ETA, EES, and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System,” said Williams. “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.”
ETA requires travellers to apply for entry into the UK using their biometric information, travel details, an email address, a credit or debit card, and by answering certain questions.
