French Airports Demand Summer Pause of EU Biometric Border Checks
CDG & Orly Tell Brussels: Postpone Full EES Roll-Out Until After Summer
Tech Glitches Force France to Slow EES Kiosk Roll-Out at Land Borders
Latest News
UK Starts Checking French Travellers for Electronic Travel Authorisation
As of 24 February the UK has activated full enforcement of its Electronic Travel Authorisation programme. French passport holders must obtain the £16 digital permit before boarding Eurostar trains, ferries or flights to the UK, adding a new compliance step for business and leisure trips.
Paris Airports Urge EU to Postpone Full EES Roll-Out Until After Summer Peak
Aéroports de Paris asked the European Commission on 23 February 2026 to delay the mandatory, biometric EU Entry/Exit System until after the summer high-season, warning of multi-hour border queues at Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly. The request, endorsed by airline and travel-industry bodies, would give France time to expand equipment and training. Business travellers should expect either longer processing times from April or a compressed compliance push in the autumn.
France Confirms Record-Breaking 102 Million Foreign Visitors in 2025
Government data released on 23 February 2026 confirm France welcomed 102 million foreign visitors in 2025—an all-time high that generated €77.5 billion in revenue. Strong European, Chinese and Gulf demand is straining hotel and transport capacity, signalling higher costs and tighter availability for corporate mobility programmes in 2026–27.
Administrative Court Upholds Dublin Transfer of Armenian Asylum Seeker
The Strasbourg Administrative Court ruled on 23 February 2026 that a Bas-Rhin prefect could lawfully transfer an Armenian asylum seeker to Bulgaria under Dublin III, rejecting claims of procedural flaws and human-rights breaches. The precedent reinforces France’s rising use of Dublin transfers and signals continued legal uncertainty for employers of asylum-seekers.
Mont Blanc & Fréjus Tunnel Night Closures Begin 23 February, Disrupting France–Italy Freight
Routine but recurring 45-minute nightly closures at the Fréjus (and later Mont Blanc) tunnel began on 23 February 2026. Even short stoppages can upset just-in-time supply chains across the Alps, so freight operators are urging rerouting and extra buffer time for France-Italy road consignments.