Germany Allows UK Passengers E-Gate Access from August

Germany has agreed to allow some arriving UK airline passengers to use passport e-gates at its airports starting by the end of August, initially for frequent travellers, with access for all UK nationals expected once Germany updates its entry systems for the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES). This agreement was part of a bilateral treaty signed by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, aiming to ease travel and boost trade between the UK and EU economies. Since Brexit, UK travellers have faced long queues at EU airports due to the inability to use automated e-gates, but recent agreements have increased e-gate access for UK travellers in several EU countries. Additionally, the treaty includes plans to establish a taskforce for direct train services between the UK and Germany within the next decade. The EU’s new EES, launching in October, will replace manual passport stamping with biometric checks for non-EU travellers, including UK citizens, across 29 Schengen countries, sparking some concerns about border control impact. These developments collectively represent significant improvements in travel convenience and border security for UK travellers visiting the EU.