Travellers between the UK and EU could face disruption at the border as passenger numbers increase and new EU-wide rules come into force during 2022.
This was one of the warnings made by MPs on the House of Commons’ Committee of Public Accounts in their report on how Brexit has impacted the UK border with the EU.
The report noted that cross-border passenger volumes have been at a “fraction of normal levels” since the UK’s transition period with the EU ended in December 2020, due to the impact of Covid-19 travel restrictions over the past year.
But MPs warned: “There is potential for disruption at the border, when passenger volumes return to more normal levels and when further checks at ports are introduced as a result of the EU’s planned introduction of its new Entry/Exit System (EES).”
“This is particularly the case at the juxtaposed controls such as at Dover, where EU officials carry out border checks on the UK side of the border.”
The EU’s Entry/Exit System for passengers arriving from outside the 27 member states is expected to become operational during the first half of 2022 and will include biometric passport checks on passengers.
The report by MPs also questioned the UK government’s plans to create the “most effective border in the world” by 2025.
“While this is a noteworthy ambition, it is optimistic, given where things stand today and we are not convinced that it is underpinned by a detailed plan to deliver it,” added MPs.
“Departments should be doing all they can to mitigate this risk and, more generally, factoring increases in passenger and trade volumes into their planning.”
The report also found that the new UK-EU border arrangements had added costs to businesses and there was the potential for this situation to get worse as increased import controls are introduced later this year.
“We have repeatedly raised concerns about the impact of changes to trading arrangements on businesses of all sizes and we remain concerned,” added MPs.