Questions for Eurostar passengers under the EU’s new entry-exit system have been dropped over fears they could cause hours of delays.
Passengers travelling on the international rail service through St Pancras station had been posed a series of questions.
The rules are part of the new digital border control system for the Schengen area, which includes most EU countries along with Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland, and requires fingerprints and photos from travellers.
Forty-nine kiosks have been installed at St Pancras for passengers to answer a number of questions.
These included whether the passenger had a return ticket and was carrying sufficient funds, as part of the Schengen rules.
They were also asked whether or not they had booked accommodation and had medical insurance under French rules.
Passengers not meeting the required criteria faced further questioning by border police.
However, concerns were raised that the process could lead to several hours of delays at St Pancras International or travellers being turned away at the border.
French officials have now agreed to drop the questions.
Eurostar’s chief stations and safety officer, Simon Lejeune, told the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee: “We know those questions have caused significant confusion, particularly within the kiosk process.
“We’re very pleased that, through discussions with the French ministry and our colleagues, it’s been agreed that those questions can be technically removed from the kiosks during the initial six-month introduction phase of the new system.”
He added that French authorities were using “a sense of pragmatism” after initially enforcing strict measures in line with the new rules.
Only a small number of Eurostar passengers at St Pancras are now being asked the entry-exit questions by border officials rather than at the kiosks.
Elsewhere, the border questions were also dropped at both the port of Dover and the Eurotunnel in Folkestone.
