The long-anticipated launch of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) for tourist cars crossing the Channel was supposed to go live at 00:01 on 1 November, but the Port of Dover announced a last-minute pause after French border authorities requested more time.
Under the Schengen arrangements that apply at Dover, French Police aux Frontières perform outbound passport control on the British side of the Channel. Although Dover’s 72 self-service kiosks, camera canopies and holding lanes had completed final commissioning tests, the French Interior Ministry informed the port late on 31 October that it would not activate the system for private cars until additional joint simulations had taken place. Freight lorries and coaches have been using EES since 12 October with limited queuing, but cars pose a bigger challenge because every occupant must leave the vehicle to enrol fingerprints and a facial photo.
![France asks Port of Dover to pause biometric border checks slated for 1 November]()
Dover chief executive Doug Bannister said the port was “technically ready” yet needed “absolute alignment with our French partners” before flipping the switch. He warned that once live, processing a vehicle could take up to six minutes—six times today’s average—unless automation steps are streamlined. Travel trade bodies immediately urged tour operators and multinationals to review itineraries for cross-Channel assignments in the busy Christmas period.
For mobility managers, the delay offers breathing space to update employee communications, stress the need for passports valid at least three months beyond exit, and collect information that EES officers may request (proof of accommodation, funds, insurance). Companies moving equipment should also build extra lay-time into trucking schedules, as freight volumes are expected to surge when car enrolment eventually begins.
The episode underscores the complexity of running an EU border on British soil. It also highlights the growing interdependence between France and the UK: while London invested in facilities, ultimate control rests with Paris. Mobility teams should monitor Franco-British announcements closely; most observers now expect a phased activation for cars later in November once the French prefecture signs off.
Under the Schengen arrangements that apply at Dover, French Police aux Frontières perform outbound passport control on the British side of the Channel. Although Dover’s 72 self-service kiosks, camera canopies and holding lanes had completed final commissioning tests, the French Interior Ministry informed the port late on 31 October that it would not activate the system for private cars until additional joint simulations had taken place. Freight lorries and coaches have been using EES since 12 October with limited queuing, but cars pose a bigger challenge because every occupant must leave the vehicle to enrol fingerprints and a facial photo.
Dover chief executive Doug Bannister said the port was “technically ready” yet needed “absolute alignment with our French partners” before flipping the switch. He warned that once live, processing a vehicle could take up to six minutes—six times today’s average—unless automation steps are streamlined. Travel trade bodies immediately urged tour operators and multinationals to review itineraries for cross-Channel assignments in the busy Christmas period.
For mobility managers, the delay offers breathing space to update employee communications, stress the need for passports valid at least three months beyond exit, and collect information that EES officers may request (proof of accommodation, funds, insurance). Companies moving equipment should also build extra lay-time into trucking schedules, as freight volumes are expected to surge when car enrolment eventually begins.
The episode underscores the complexity of running an EU border on British soil. It also highlights the growing interdependence between France and the UK: while London invested in facilities, ultimate control rests with Paris. Mobility teams should monitor Franco-British announcements closely; most observers now expect a phased activation for cars later in November once the French prefecture signs off.
