EU and France Trial Biometric Cameras at Eurotunnel

The European Commission and French authorities have authorized a two-year trial of eagle-eye camera systems at the Eurotunnel borders in Folkestone and Calais. Developed by Getlink, the owner of the Eurotunnel, the system allows travelers to submit facial images and fingerprints via drive-through kiosks without exiting their vehicles.

The initiative aims to streamline the Entry and Exit System (EES), which requires third-country citizens, including British passport holders, to provide biometric data when entering the Schengen area. The EES has suffered years of delays due to technical failures, prompting the EU to file a lawsuit against IBM and two other implementation firms.

Getlink CEO Yann Leriche negotiated the trial to transform the border into a laboratory for intelligent technology, citing models used in Singapore and the United States. Leriche stated that the French authorities are aligned on the trial because it is more efficient and will prevent chaos in both the short and long term. If the experiment succeeds, the drive-through biometric system may become a permanent fixture at the border.