Rules for UK travellers to EU to be discussed by Lords committee
Monday 1 November
Tomorrow, the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee will be holding a one-off evidence session for its inquiry on the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and Entry/Exit System (EES).
ETIAS will affect non-EU citizens travelling to the European Union without a visa, which includes UK citizens. Visa-exempt travellers will need to apply for a travel authorisation – in some cases UK citizens may be denied access to the European Union. The EES will keep electronic records of those entering and exiting the Schengen Area. Most UK citizens will need to register in the EES the first time they travel to the EU.
The committee has several concerns which it wishes to address during the session. These include questions about what changes will be required to accommodate the launch of the two systems, whether disruption to the flow of goods and people between the UK and the EU is to be expected as a result of their launch, potential solutions to mitigate any such disruption, and awareness around changes to travel to the European Union.
The session will take place on Tuesday 2 November 10.30 AM - 12 PM and can be followed on Parliament TV.
Giving evidence will be:
- Tim Reardon, Head of EU exit at Port of Dover
- Gareth Williams, Strategy Director and Company Secretary, Eurostar
- John Keefe, Director of Public Affairs, Getlink.
Questions the committee is likely to ask include:
- In geographic terms, where will the two systems have an operational impact?
- What changes will be required to accommodate the launch of the two systems - and what for?
- What disruption, if any, are you expecting as a result of the launch of the two systems? How does it compare with disruptions in recent years?
- How best could such disruption be mitigated?
- How much awareness is there of the two systems and of the consequences they may have? Whose responsibility do you think it is to raise awareness and how?
The Committee has been in touch with the Home Office about the logistical, legal, and political issues regarding these new systems, and the correspondence is available to read on the committee’s website.
