The UK government has announced a £10.5 million investment to help UK ports prepare for enhanced European Union (EU) border checks. This funding, provided by

the Department for Transport (DfT), will be used to develop new facilities and technology at key locations including the Port of Dover, the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone, and London’s St Pancras station, which serves Eurostar services.

These three locations are where French border checks are conducted before travelers embark on cross-Channel journeys. With the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) set to be implemented on November 10 after several delays, there are concerns about potential long queues at these sites. The EES will require travelers from non-EU countries, such as the UK, to have their fingerprints scanned and a photograph taken when they enter an EU member state for the first time. This data will be stored for three years.

The DfT has stated that the new funding will help "reduce the risk of queuing and disruption" by enhancing the infrastructure at these three UK sites, each of which will receive £3.5 million.

Migration Minister Seema Malhotra, who visited the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel, emphasized the government's efforts to minimize disruption. She said, “While EES checks will represent a significant change at the EU border, we are working closely with the European Commission, member states, and ports to ensure that the UK is well-prepared.”

Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads, added, “No one wants to see long queues at our ports, which is why we’re providing this funding to ensure our borders are as ready as possible for the upcoming changes, despite EES being an EU initiative.”

At the Port of Dover, the funding will be used to accelerate work on a project to repurpose a marina as a site for EES processing. Emma Ward, Chief Operations Officer, stated, “We are doing everything possible to prepare the facilities that French border officials will use to operate the new system.”

Eurostar has also been preparing for the change. Simon Lejeune, Eurostar's Chief Safety and Stations Officer, said, “With government support, we have upgraded our facilities and technology to meet the new requirements, ensuring a smooth transition for all our passengers by November.”

Yann Leriche, Chief Executive of Eurotunnel owner Getlink, mentioned that the Group has already invested more than £70 million in creating dedicated EES zones at each terminal, ensuring that travel through the Channel Tunnel remains as seamless as it is today.

The £10.5 million funding package includes £9 million from the DfT and an additional £1.5 million from the Home Office. Photo by DeFacto, Wikimedia commons.