Passengers travelling from the UK to France will not face new EU biometric border checks in the coming weeks, even though the European Union plans full implementation of its entry-exit system (EES) from 10 April. Airlines and airports had warned of potential chaos over the Easter holidays. Most non-EU travellers, including British citizens, are required to provide biometric information, such as fingerprints and facial scans, when entering Schengen countries. The system has already caused long delays at some airports during its phased rollout. However, travellers using Eurotunnel’s Le Shuttle, cross-Channel ferries, or Eurostar trains will see no changes because France has delayed providing the technology needed to collect and process the data. Sources at the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel confirmed that French authorities have not yet delivered the required systems. Passport wet-stamping will continue at the French border, which is located in England for outbound cross-Channel services. Only lorry drivers, coach passengers, and foot passengers using ferries, who have been subject to checks since November, will undergo EES procedures. Despite the delays, EU websites still state that after 10 April, visitors to the Schengen area must provide biometric information. The UK Home Office advised travellers last week to allow extra time for border checks, though Eurostar and Eurotunnel maintain that passengers should continue arriving according to their travel tickets. EES was introduced in October, years later than originally planned, but implementation has varied across Europe. Some airports, including Lisbon and Brussels, have experienced hours-long delays, while others have installed kiosks that remain unused. Getlink, which owns Eurotunnel, has invested at least £60 million in automated kiosks at Folkestone and Coquelles in France to prepare for the EES launch last autumn. Eurostar spent around £10 million at London St Pancras on similar kiosks, which remain sealed off. The Port of Dover has also reshaped roads and built new structures ready for EES. A port spokesperson said it is working closely with French border agencies to ensure a smooth rollout for tourists, waiting until technical issues in France are resolved and testing is complete. Eurotunnel stated that on 10 April, French border police will begin creating EES files, but biometric data collection will not yet start. Le Shuttle customers will notice no changes. Eurostar said it is collaborating with French and EU authorities as the system gradually expands, with French officers manually enrolling travellers at London St Pancras. Extra lanes have been added, with the focus on maintaining smooth border flows. The EU has allowed border officials discretion to relax rules if queues form, at least until the end of July. Nonetheless, airlines and airports remain concerned about the scaling up of EES over the holiday period. Trade groups A4E, representing major European airlines, and ACI Europe, representing airports, warned that operational challenges persist and long queues could increase during Easter. They urged the European Commission to allow suspension of EES if necessary. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary criticized the system, reporting queues of up to four hours at some airports. He described EES as “a shambles” and a punishment for Brexit, calling for the EU to postpone full implementation until October.