Monday's United Kingdom-European Union deal promises travellers an easier trip across the water by facilitating access via electronic gates. However, shortening queues at border control may still require some patience.
A wide-ranging agreement affecting food, defence, migration, and border control was announced during the first post-Brexit UK-EU summit in London on Monday. This was one of the most significant changes to UK-EU relations in the five years since Brexit.
Among the agreed measures, the UK and the EU committed to making life easier for passengers, allowing "the potential use of eGates where appropriate" for UK passport holders, according to a statement by the European Commission.
Electronic gates are an automated system that uses biometrics for passport control. They tend to have reduced waiting times compared to checks carried out by officers, a Brussels Airport spokesperson previously told The Brussels Times.
Regular passport control at Brussels airport in Zaventem in 2022. Credit: Belga/James Arthur Gekiere
According to the Commission's statement, "there will be no legal barriers to eGate use for British Nationals travelling to and from European Union Member States." The decision comes as a way to ensure "smooth border management" for the benefit of citizens, the Commission added.
However, the measure is not set to come into effect until after the introduction of the European Union Entry/Exit System (EES), currently expected in October 2025. The EES is an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for short stays (90 days) into the Schengen area.
Nonetheless, once in effect, the change promises to put an end to the "dreaded queues at border control," the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer noted on Monday.
The announcement comes weeks after passengers travelling through Brussels Airport reported up to five-hour-long queues at passport control, partly due to a staffing issue within the Federal Police. The incident prompted criticism from the Belgian Interior Minister, who called the situation "damaging" to national reputation.
Picture of the queue at Brussels Airport on Friday 2 May sent by a reader of The Brussels Times.
Reducing waiting times at passport controls across airports has long been a project within Belgium, according to Brussels Airlines' spokesperson, Nico Cardone. Flights coming from outside the EU tend to increase pressure on passport control officers, thus increasing waiting times.
At Brussels Airport, since 2023, one of the measures to address long queues was to allow British passengers to use the e-gates when travelling outside the Schengen Area, a spokesperson at the Federal Police noted. It is not yet clear what the details and the affects of the deal will be for the airport.
Nonetheless, Cardone welcomed the decision. "The easier it is for passengers to connect in Brussels, the better. We welcome all initiatives that make travelling more seamless," he told The Brussels Times.
In regards to train travel, Eurostar was unable to provide details on what the changes mean for the border checks for passengers. Regardless, the railway company saw the move as positive. "We have been working closely with UK and EU authorities and have always been committed to delivering a faster, smoother border experience for our customers," a Eurostar spokesperson told The Brussels Times.
People waiting at Brussels Airport, in Zaventem. Credit: Belga/James Arthur Gekiere
The summit's deal will not only impact passengers but also their pets. According to a press statement by the UK government, pets will be able "to travel more easily with the introduction of 'pet passports' for UK cats and dogs," which is set to abolish the need for an animal health certificate for every trip.
Although many questions remain regarding the impact of the UK-EU deal, Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, promises it is a "historic" one. "It will make a real difference to people in the UK and across our Union," she said. "When our continent faces the greatest threats it has for generations – we in Europe stick together."
The Brussels Times contacted the Brussels Airport, and Charleroi Airport for comment but is yet to receive a response as of publishing time.
The article was updated at 11:06 with comments from the Federal Police.
