Forwarding, Freight News, Logistics, Road


New border system could hit UK hauliers, says forwarder

[ September 15, 2025   //   ]

Kent-based forwarder Zelir Logistics is warning that the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which will be phased in from 12 October, will damage UK haulage and stifle growth. New biometric checks at borders will replace manual passport stamping, resulting in real-time tracking of border crossings and stricter enforcement of rules which only allow UK visitors to spend 90 days in the Schengen zone of Europe, in any rolling 180-day period.

This includes anyone travelling for business or commercial reasons.

Zelir Logistics says it is supporting the Road Haulage Association’s campaign for the introduction of a professional drivers’ exemption as an urgent measure to protect UK haulage businesses and jobs.

Zelir director, Joe Jeffery, said: “While we support the overall goal of tightened border security, it’s going to be damaging to UK hauliers and the wider supply chain, without some form of exemption for drivers. For UK drivers, exporting into Europe, 90 days quickly add up, especially on deep continental legs. It’ll make using UK drivers much less appealing and we’ll see businesses either employing or sub-contracting to European drivers instead – because the rules aren’t the same the other way around.

“This could also lead to increased demand for European drivers and push prices up throughout the supply chain.”

Zelir is also concerned about delays at ports during the implementation phase, and firms struggling to cope with the additional operational processes of getting ready for the biometric checks and monitoring driver schedules in real-time. 

The EU ESS will be gradually introduced at border crossing points from October, with full implementation expected by April 2026.

Travellers will need to create a digital record on their first visit to the Schengen area port or airport by submitting fingerprints and having their photos taken at dedicated booths.

This includes those entering through the port of Dover and Eurotunnel.