While Dover’s car checks have been paused, inside France the wider Entry/Exit System is quietly expanding. From 1 November, several French land and sea crossings—including the ferry terminals at Calais and Dunkerque and the Gare du Nord Eurostar lounge—began enrolling additional cohorts of non-EU travellers in the EES database.
The digital platform replaces the manual passport stamp with an electronic record that stores biometric data for three years. Officials report that 80 per cent of kiosks installed since 12 October are functioning well; remaining posts will come online during the Christmas peak. For now, border guards retain the discretion to fall back on stamping if queues exceed 30 minutes, and airports such as Paris-Orly are staggering airline departures to spread demand.
![France continues phased roll-out of EU Entry/Exit System on 1 November]()
For corporate mobility, the main implication is the need for ‘first-entry’ time. Travellers who have not yet registered should expect an extra five-to-ten minutes at the border. After that, repeat crossings should be faster, an advantage for consultants shuttling between Paris and European hubs. HR teams should audit Schengen-day counters because the automated system will flag overstays instantly.
The Interior Ministry has reassured data-privacy advocates that records will be encrypted and shared only with authorised officers; however, the CNIL (France’s data watchdog) has reserved the right to conduct surprise inspections. Businesses handling sensitive personal data—especially those sponsoring dependants—should refresh privacy notices and retention policies accordingly.
Looking ahead, the government aims to link the EES token with France Identité, the national digital-ID wallet, by late-2026, potentially allowing seamless e-gates for frequent business travellers.
The digital platform replaces the manual passport stamp with an electronic record that stores biometric data for three years. Officials report that 80 per cent of kiosks installed since 12 October are functioning well; remaining posts will come online during the Christmas peak. For now, border guards retain the discretion to fall back on stamping if queues exceed 30 minutes, and airports such as Paris-Orly are staggering airline departures to spread demand.
For corporate mobility, the main implication is the need for ‘first-entry’ time. Travellers who have not yet registered should expect an extra five-to-ten minutes at the border. After that, repeat crossings should be faster, an advantage for consultants shuttling between Paris and European hubs. HR teams should audit Schengen-day counters because the automated system will flag overstays instantly.
The Interior Ministry has reassured data-privacy advocates that records will be encrypted and shared only with authorised officers; however, the CNIL (France’s data watchdog) has reserved the right to conduct surprise inspections. Businesses handling sensitive personal data—especially those sponsoring dependants—should refresh privacy notices and retention policies accordingly.
Looking ahead, the government aims to link the EES token with France Identité, the national digital-ID wallet, by late-2026, potentially allowing seamless e-gates for frequent business travellers.
