Channel Tunnel operator Getlink told investors on 23 July that unresolved software problems may force the postponement of biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) checks for car passengers, currently scheduled for 6 September. Chief executive Yann Leriche said the company would give the UK government until the end of the summer to find a ‘workable solution’ before triggering legal action over the risk of gridlock at Folkestone. Unlike airports, which have installed fixed kiosks, the Tunnel must process travellers in their vehicles. The first phase relies on mobile tablets linked to the EU’s Schengen Information System but tests have flagged latency issues and screen freezes when handling large family groups. Leriche warned that a failed launch “would back up traffic onto the M20 within 30 minutes”. The news matters for corporate mobility because the Tunnel carries a third of UK–EU road freight by value. Vehicle queues translate into just-in-time supply-chain headaches, particularly for automotive and fresh-food exporters operating on tight delivery windows. The operator has asked both London and Brussels for a derogation allowing manual passport stamping to continue through the Christmas peak if the software fix slips beyond October. Industry observers say such a waiver is politically sensitive but increasingly likely.
Source: Reuters via Yahoo News
