British broadcaster ITV warned on 13 July that the EU’s new biometric Entry/Exit System is already creating multi-hour queues at Dover and could cause spill-over congestion on routes into France and onward into Italy during the upcoming holiday exodus. The article cites RAC forecasts of 14 million leisure journeys this weekend and reports that France is deploying additional border guards while awaiting new passport booths. Although the focus is on UK travellers, the implications extend to Italy: many of the estimated 1.2 million Britons heading to continental Europe in late July plan to continue by car or rail to Italian destinations such as Tuscany and Lake Garda. If initial registration takes longer than expected at Calais or Folkestone, travellers risk missing timed tickets on the Frejus and Mont Blanc tunnels, adding pressure to Italian motorway rest areas already strained by the heatwave. Italian tour operators are therefore advising clients originating in the UK to allow at least two extra hours for Channel crossings and to pre-book motorway toll services like Telepass EU to speed up toll-gate passage once inside Italy. Car-hire companies at Milan and Venice airports are also bracing for knock-on delays that could compress vehicle-return windows. For corporate mobility teams with assignees relocating from the UK by car, the recommendation is to stagger departure dates and, where feasible, choose air travel via Schiphol or Frankfurt, airports better equipped with EES kiosks. Employers should also check that relocation packages cover additional accommodation if overland moves are disrupted. The story underscores the systemic impact of the EES roll-out and the importance for Italian stakeholders – from ANAS (highways) to the hospitality sector – to coordinate contingency plans with their French counterparts.
Source: ITV News
