Lib Dems: Equivalent of 16,000 nurses’ salaries set to be lost to delays at EU border as entry-exit scheme finally introduced

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

The Liberal Democrats are urging the Government to negotiate with the EU to enable pre-checks for HGVs away from the UK/EU border, as analysis shows that anticipated delays caused by the introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit Scheme (EES) are set to cost £400 million.

The Liberal Democrats are today [Sunday] calling for the Government to urgently secure an agreement from the EU to allow British HGV drivers to register biometric details away from the border, as delays to trade under the postponed Entry/Exit Scheme are set to cost Britain nearly half a billion pounds.

The EES has been delayed multiple times. The timeline for its implementation is now set to last six months, stretching from today [12 October] well into 2026.

Under the new system, Brits traveling into the EU will have to register biometric information, including fingerprints and photos, to access the bloc. The Port of Dover has estimated that processing passenger cars will take six times longer than usual, while research from Logistics UK suggests that even if goods vehicles only wait for an hour and a half as the scheme gets underway, the hit to the economy could be as high as £400 million.

The Liberal Democrats have castigated the money wasted – equivalent to the annual wages of 16,352 new nurses – as “totally avoidable”, and demanded the Government negotiate with the EU to secure measures to reduce delays.

The EU is also poised to more rigorously enforce its limitations on Brits working in the EU following the introduction of EES – restricting UK employees like lorry drivers from working in the Schengen area for more than 90 out of every 180 days. The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to secure a professional drivers’ exemption from restrictions for those transporting goods between the UK and EU on a return journey.  

This comes after the Road Haulage Association stated that 80% of operators expect a decrease in business following the introduction of the EES and the total enforcement of the 90/180 rule.

Liberal Democrat Europe Spokesperson Al Pinkerton said:

“It's utterly unacceptable that the UK could lose nearly half a billion pounds thanks to the Government failing to negotiate properly with the EU over the new entry programme. This is yet another barrier to growth.

"That money could have gone back into our economy to boost struggling companies and public services here at home. Instead, it now risks being lost in long queues as the flow of trade is gummed up at the border.

“Rather than more dither and delay, the Government needs to secure immediate agreements to help fast track exporters through the border. It also needs to get the EU signed up to a professional drivers’ exemption for British hauliers - ensuring our businesses don't get hammered by new restrictive rules on working in the EU.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

As reported here by the Independent. 

Please see nursing pay scales here (starting at £24,464); Logistics UK’s research here; and BBC reporting on the Port of Dover’s estimates of wait times here. RHA’s template letter and research here. 

400 million / 24,464 = 16351 (to the nearest whole number).