Getlink cautions that unreliable EU software may postpone the implementation of biometric borders at the Channel Tunnel.

      Yann Leriche, the CEO of Getlink, offers a straightforward assessment of why the new biometric border system in Europe isn't fully operational at the Channel Tunnel. He identifies the issue as the software rather than the terminals, personnel, or waiting times.

      Getlink, responsible for the Eurotunnel shuttle that transports vehicles between Folkestone and Calais, cautioned on Thursday that ongoing software issues within the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) may hinder the implementation of biometric checks for passenger vehicles. This warning coincided with the release of the company’s half-year financial report.

      “I won’t claim that we are facing no difficulties at all; there is one significant problem affecting us all, and there is currently no apparent quick fix: the software provided by the European Union,” Leriche informed reporters. He also noted that the system “is not yet fully stable.”

      The EES, the EU's long-awaited digital border initiative, aims to record every non-EU traveller entering or exiting the Schengen area by capturing facial images, fingerprints, and passport information instead of relying on a manual stamp.

      This initiative is part of a broader movement towards automated identity verification, which has also led to the establishment of Eurostar’s biometric corridor at St Pancras and various facial recognition experiments at airports.

      After several delays, the system commenced a phased implementation in October 2025 and was declared completely operational across all Schengen external borders on April 10, 2026. By the end of March, it had managed over 45 million crossings and denied entry to more than 24,000 individuals.

      However, at the Channel Tunnel, there remains a critical component that has yet to be activated: biometric registration for individuals traveling by car. This feature is scheduled to be implemented by September 6. Leriche warns that the EU-provided software may not be ready by that date. If it misses this deadline, it would mean reverting to more manual processing, additional contingency planning, and a further round of terminals equipped for a capability they cannot currently operate.

      This wouldn't be the first setback. Earlier in 2026, France halted biometric registration at Channel crossings due to software problems, forcing border police to process car passengers manually without collecting their biometrics.

      Issues arose with pre-registration kiosks and tablets at French ports, and the system developed for airport passenger flows struggled to accommodate the volumes at tunnel and ferry terminals.

      The rollout was intentionally designed to allow for such scenarios. Member states can opt to temporarily suspend biometric collection for up to 90 days while systems stabilize, with an option for a further 60-day extension to manage summer traffic peaks.

      As a result, travelers continue to present their passports, and at certain crossings, they still receive a stamp, while facial images and fingerprints are only captured where the technology is deemed ready. This leads to a border system that is legally uniform on paper but inconsistent in practice.

      Getlink has made significant investments to prepare for a system it does not manage, spending €80 million on terminal upgrades, including installing 224 biometric kiosks across Folkestone and Calais, expanding border lanes, and hiring 140 new employees.

      While the civil works at both Coquelles and Folkestone are complete, the software that operates them remains unfinished.

      Despite the challenges, disruptions at the tunnel have been manageable. Leriche reported that queues have been kept to one or two hours, significantly shorter than delays experienced at some airports during the same timeframe. Vehicles check in at kiosks inside the terminal before boarding, rather than at a booth, which helps distribute the load across the area.

      Brussels faces a sequencing dilemma, as the EES is now legally operational across the entire Schengen area, forming part of a larger framework of digital borders that includes an upcoming digital ID wallet. Whether the system functions effectively everywhere is a different matter, and for now, its success depends more on the vendor responsible for the code than on the operators managing it.