Traffic built up at the port of Dover in south-east England at the Easter weekend. AFP
Traffic built up at the port of Dover in south-east England at the Easter weekend. AFP
Traffic built up at the port of Dover in south-east England at the Easter weekend. AFP
Traffic built up at the port of Dover in south-east England at the Easter weekend. AFP

EU says new biometric border checks should ease travel from UK


Tim Stickings
  • English
  • Arabic

New automated checks at EU borders should make life easier for British travellers, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

Britain, meanwhile, said it would welcome EU airports making more e-gates available for UK tourists.

There were many complaints of long traffic queues at English Channel ferry ports during the Easter weekend this month.

Strikes in France and extra border checks after Brexit were blamed for the disruption.

A new EU system that allows for automated checks on non-EU citizens is due to come into force within months.

UK citizens currently have their passports stamped manually.

No date has yet been set for the introduction of the EU’s digitised Entry/Exit System after several delays, amid uncertainty over how it might affect border queues.

Once it comes into force, visitors from approved countries such as the UK will have to register for travel authorisation online.

The authorisation, similar to the ESTA needed for travel to the US, would last for three years and cost €7 ($7.70).

A first trip to the EU under the new system will involve providing fingerprints and facial images.

But after that, passengers can scan their passports at self-service kiosks, the European Commission says.

“This will enable the automation of border controls and this should ease the experience of travellers at the border crossing points,” commission spokeswoman Anitta Hipper said on Tuesday when asked about UK visitors.

“You’ll have an automated system for third-country nationals once this is in place.”

The European Commission said its new system should make passing through passport control easier. Bloomberg
The European Commission said its new system should make passing through passport control easier. Bloomberg

The head of England's Port of Dover last year expressed concerns that the fingerprint-scanning system would cause extra delays.

An improved UK-EU atmosphere after a recent deal on Northern Ireland has raised hopes of closer co-operation.

But neither the EU nor the UK would confirm a report by Bloomberg that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was lobbying for greater British access to European e-gates.

Downing Street said there were no “live discussions”.

“Of course we will always want to find ways to minimise unnecessary waiting times for British nationals,” Mr Sunak’s spokesman said.

“That would be welcome if there were wider use of e-gates for non-EU nationals, it’s in both our interests and the interests of the countries which British nationals visit as tourists, for example.”

Some airports in Spain and Portugal, where British tourists abound, have allowed UK visitors to use their e-gates.

Other arrival gates in Europe have no automated barriers and check both UK and EU travellers manually.

Under post-Brexit rules, British travellers can spend up to 90 days in the visa-free Schengen zone within a period of 180 days.

No visa is needed for short stays but people from Britain no longer have the automatic right to live and work in the EU.

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

Karwaan

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala

Director: Akarsh Khurana

Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar

Rating: 4/5

Sheer grandeur

The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.

A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.

Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?

Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.

They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.

“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.

He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

FIXTURES

Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan

The top two teams qualify for the World Cup

Classification matches 
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.

Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place play-off

The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3

Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)

Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)

Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)

Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)

While you're here
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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Wallabies

Updated team: 15-Israel Folau, 14-Dane Haylett-Petty, 13-Reece Hodge, 12-Matt Toomua, 11-Marika Koroibete, 10-Kurtley Beale, 9-Will Genia, 8-Pete Samu, 7-Michael Hooper (captain), 6-Lukhan Tui, 5-Adam Coleman, 4-Rory Arnold, 3-Allan Alaalatoa, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-Scott Sio.

Replacements: 16-Folau Faingaa, 17-Tom Robertson, 18-Taniela Tupou, 19-Izack Rodda, 20-Ned Hanigan, 21-Joe Powell, 22-Bernard Foley, 23-Jack Maddocks.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
VERSTAPPEN'S FIRSTS

Youngest F1 driver (17 years 3 days Japan 2014)
Youngest driver to start an F1 race (17 years 166 days – Australia 2015)
Youngest F1 driver to score points (17 years 180 days - Malaysia 2015)
Youngest driver to lead an F1 race (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest driver to set an F1 fastest lap (19 years 44 days – Brazil 2016)
Youngest on F1 podium finish (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest F1 winner (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest multiple F1 race winner (Mexico 2017/18)
Youngest F1 driver to win the same race (Mexico 2017/18)

UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Pension support
  • Mental well-being assistance
  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
  • Financial well-being incentives 
The%20Sandman
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First-round leaderbaord

-5 C Conners (Can)

-3 B Koepka (US), K Bradley (US), V Hovland (Nor), A Wise (US), S Horsfield (Eng), C Davis (Aus);

-2 C Morikawa (US), M Laird (Sco), C Tringale (US)

Selected others: -1 P Casey (Eng), R Fowler (US), T Hatton (Eng)

Level B DeChambeau (US), J Rose (Eng) 

1 L Westwood (Eng), J Spieth (US)

3 R McIlroy (NI)

4 D Johnson (US)

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

Updated: April 26, 2023, 6:52 AM`