SUMMER 2025 DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 24
GPSJ
SITA - COVER STORY
From queues to clicks:
Europe’s digital border
evolution
Since Brexit, European travel has become more complex for British nationals—not a political statement, merely
a fact. The United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union (EU) has, inevitably, resulted in longer queues
at many border control points.
Pedro Alves
Thankfully, things are set to
improve with the plan to allow for
British travellers to use automated
eGates in many countries across
Europe. However, another change
is on the horizon this autumn
when the EU rolls out its Entry/
Exit System (EES). This new
border management system is
designed to enhance security and
streamline the 昀氀ow at Europe’s
external borders by removing
the need to physically stamp
passports.
EES will require so called
‘Third Country Nationals’ (TCNs)
—Brits included—to record
their biographic and biometric
data as they enter or leave 29
European countries. After multiple
delays, the system is expected
to launch in the 昀椀nal quarter of
2025October. It’s important to
remember that it applies to TCNs
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crossing Europe’s Schengen area,
a borderless travel zone which
abolished internal border checks
some 40 years ago for 425 million
EU citizens (but not for Britons,
post-Brexit).
While EES may improve border
crossings in the future, more
can—and should—be done.
Because technology exists
today that o昀昀ers the potential
for genuinely seamless border
crossings. And with the right
innovation, travel through border
control points should be a hasslefree experience and feel less like a
chore.
to research from the International
Air Transport Association (IATA),
over 70% of travellers still face
long queues and repeated
document checks when passing
through airports, ports, and other
border points.
It’s much more than just a
source of frustration for travellers.
Queues also strain critical
border operations, diverting vital
resources toward processing
the vast majority of passengers
who pose minimal risk. That
attention would be better directed
elsewhere—towards areas that
truly require scrutiny.
Reducing Friction at the
Front Line
Smarter Borders, Smoother
Journeys
Every traveller wants a journey
that’s faster, simpler, and more
e昀케cient, without delays at
immigration control. Yet according
Governments across Europe are
already making strides to ease
border congestion, mindful of the
economic boost that travellers
GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR JOURNAL SUMMER 2025
bring. They recognise that
ine昀케cient border controls can
deter future return visits or trade—
an outcome no country wants. All
want to stimulate incoming travel,
not deter it!
For Britons, access to
international markets is gradually
becoming more e昀케cient and
e昀昀ective. For example, this
summer eGate access will expand
to So昀椀a Airport in Bulgaria,
followed by developments in
Estonia from late 2026. These
additions join the 47 European
passenger ports already o昀昀ering
eGate access for UK travellers.
It’s clear that European
governments still value the British
travelling £ and are taking steps
to ease border congestion…and
frustration!
Yet, eGates are just a 昀椀rst step
to improve the ease of travelling
