The EU’s long-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES) is scheduled to finally come into force in 2025.

The official website for Europe’s new digital border system for non-EU nationals confirmed it would be rolled out this year, but has not given an exact date.

EU officials say the system is being introduced to bolster border security and identify travellers who overstay their permitted time in the Schengen Area (90 days within a 180-day period).

It’s expected that just 10 per cent of Europe’s border crossings will have automated barriers when EES launches.

But concerns are growing over how it will affect wait times at border crossings.

The EES will be an automated registration system for UK and other non-EU travellers who don’t require a visa to enter the EU.

Travellers will need to scan their passports or other travel documents at a self-service kiosk each time they cross an EU external border. It will not apply to legal EU citizens or residents or those with long-stay visas.

The system will register the traveller’s name, biometric data, and the date and place of entry and exit. Facial scans and fingerprint data will be taken every three years and are valid for multiple trips within that period.

New automated barriers required at all international land, maritime and air borders in the Schengen Area are being installed, one of the myriad reasons for the system’s nearly nine-year delay.

Eurostar scraps fast-track check-in system

The EES’s scanning requirements have forced Eurostar to change its check-in system at the UK border.

The rail operator is scrapping a service that lets selected passengers skip the double passport control at London’s St Pancras train station.

From 13 February, Eurostar will stop its SmartCheck option for Premium, Carte Blanche, and Etoile Club members.

The service allows passengers who register their details on the iProov.me identification app to take advantage of facial recognition technology at St Pancras. This lets them bypass the manual passport check by a UK immigration officer and go directly to French passport control.

However, the system is being removed ahead of the introduction of the EES to prepare for the facial scanning and fingerprinting requirement for Brits upon entering the EU for the first time.

There are concerns that the new system will lengthen passenger processing times at St Pancras, though Eurostar says they will increase control kiosks to minimise disruption.

“We’re removing SmartCheck as we continue to make some changes at the station in preparation for the launch of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES),” Eurostar said in a statement.

“As part of these preparations, we’re improving our border control area with new ePassport gates and extra passport control booths.

“This will help us ensure the border control process is as smooth as possible for passengers travelling in the coming months and after EES has launched.”

Delays expected at Dover ferry crossings

French authorities will also operate EES border checks at the UK’s Port of Dover. They are currently working with the UK government to minimise the system’s impact on border flows and traffic, but express concern about potential waiting times.

Government agencies and representatives for the tourism industry have said that the EES will likely cause long queues for ferry traffic sailing from Dover to Calais.

Guy Opperman, a minister in the UK’s transport department, has since explained the scheme will have a “six-month soft launch” to make the process more simple.

“If one got to a situation where there were a certain amount of queues or delays, then the provisions of the precautionary flexibility measures allow for much greater freedom of passage of vehicles, coaches, HGVs and cars,” he said.

“That takes care of so much of the queuing, so many of the complications.”

Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, has also now confirmed that the system will not be introduced until November 2025.

EES automated barriers will be gradually introduced to minimise delays

Other countries are still working on EES implementation plans, too. The European Commission (EC) is allowing a six-month phased implementation of the system to reduce the likelihood of long waiting times at borders.

This approach will give the participating nations more flexibility to fine-tune their technology and navigate unexpected issues.

The goal, according to the EC, is to have the new system working at 10 per cent of border crossings in every member state on day one. During this soft launch period, travellers’ passports will continue to be stamped, as well as electronically recorded.

Is your desk ‘hygge’? For most of us, our workspace is a cluttered nightmare, littered with stale coffee and unfinished paperwork. But what if you could work from somewhere totally hygge, in gorgeous surroundings and ultimate comfort?

That’s the offer on the table from Norwegian browser company Opera as it seeks to promote its web services.

The company is seeking ‘hygge testers’ to try out its hygge desks, positioned in some of the most stunning locations in Norway.

You could find yourselves immersed in a heart-warming six-day stay at a private cabin, with flights and ground transportation included. During your stay, testers will be able to try out the hygge desk and see for yourself just how productive the right environment can be.

“We’re developing a browser that captures the Scandinavian essence of a simple, unassuming life – one that leaves stress behind and helps our users focus on what matters the most,” says Jan Standal, VP at Opera. “We’re used to hygge in Scandinavia, but now we want our worldwide community to understand what that concept means in practice.”

What is ‘hygge’ and how does a desk fit into the concept?

In the Danish and Norwegian languages, ‘hygge’ describes a cosy, contented mood that is brought about through comfort and friendliness. Although the word is common to both languages, its meaning has found a loving home in Danish culture.

In essence, hygge embodies a sense of simplicity, cosiness, and being present. Danes seek to achieve hygge in many aspects of their lives, whether in the food they cook, the clothes they wear, or the way they decorate their homes.

As a Norwegian company, Opera wants to bring hygge to desk jobs – and has created the ‘hygge desk’ to do just that. It’s a cosy workspace adorned with furs and carefully selected facilities that promise to eliminate distractions and enhance the joy of everyday browsing.

“A hygge desk is one that allows you to leave anything annoying or emotionally overwhelming behind,” Opera says. “It accentuates both the pleasure that comes from browsing and the presence of the smallest, cosiest elements at hand – like warm lighting or an epic view of nature.”

As part of the promotion, Opera has released a helpful video with a Norwegian guide demonstrating exactly what is and isn’t ‘hygge’.

The founding principle of the promotion is to demonstrate that the Opera browser, used by only around 2.5 per cent of web surfers, is embracing hygge itself. It promises ‘private and peaceful browsing, free from interruptions,’ that it says is perfectly aligned with the principle of hygge.

For 10 lucky winners, it means a six-day visit to one of five locations in Norway, staying in a private cabin and experiencing the best of the local area.

How to apply to become a hygge tester

Hygge testers can apply for the experience on specific dates.

From 18-23 March, a hygge tester will be invited to Lysefjord, a stunning fjordal location just east of Stavanger. As well as browsing from your hygge desk, visitors will be able to enjoy bathing in waterfalls, hiking, and boating excursions.

From 25-30 March, the hygge desk then opens in Lofoten, where visitors will enjoy picturesque fjords, traditional fishing villages, and a chance to see the Northern Lights. In the same period, the hygge desk at Norefjell will also be welcoming visitors to its peaceful surroundings and ski resorts.

The final opportunity is from 1-6 April, when Bodø and Ålesund’s hygge desks will be open for business. Up in the north, Bodø is known for its stone-age history and moose population, while Ålesund in the west is famed for its art nouveau architecture.

To have a chance to become a hygge tester, hopefuls can apply on the Opera website by sharing why you need a hygge desk. The company favours more creative applications, so you might like to consider sending in a picture of your non-hygge desk or writing a poem about your working life, to be in with a chance.

Applications are open from now until the end of February, with winners announced on or around 5 March. Included in the package are round-trip flights, ground transportation, and your entire six-day stay at one of the Norwegian private cabins.

Striving to embrace hygge has proven to bring many benefits to Scandinavians. While a week at a hygge desk won’t change your life, it sounds like a very good start.

Schools were closed and emergency crews deployed on the volcanic Greek island of Santorini on Monday after a spike in seismic activity raised concerns about a potentially powerful earthquake.

Precautions were also ordered on several nearby Aegean Sea islands – all popular summer vacation destinations – after more than 200 undersea earthquakes were recorded in the area over the past three days.

“These measures are precautionary, and authorities will remain vigilant,” Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias said late on Sunday following an emergency government meeting in Athens. “We urge citizens to strictly adhere to safety recommendations to minimise risk.”

Here’s everything you need to know if you are in Santorini or have a trip planned to the island.

Schools closed on Santorini after earthquake swarm

While Greek experts say the quakes, many with magnitudes over 4.5, are not linked to Santorini’s volcano, they acknowledge that the pattern of seismic activity is cause for concern.

The frequency of the quakes, which continued throughout Sunday night and into Monday, has worried residents.

“I have never felt anything like this and with such frequency – an earthquake every 10 or 20 minutes,” said resident Michalis Gerontakis, who is also the director of the Santorini Philharmonic Orchestra.“Everyone is anxious, even if some of us hide it not to cause panic, but everyone is worried.”

Government officials met with scientists throughout the weekend and on Monday to assess the situation, while schools were also ordered shut on the nearby islands of Amorgos, Anafi, and Ios.

Hotels told to drain swimming pools amid earthquake tremors

On Santorini, residents and visitors have been advised to avoid large indoor gatherings and areas where rock slides could occur.

Hotels were instructed to drain swimming pools over concerns that large volumes of water could destabilise buildings in case of a strong quake.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice for Santorini and the neighbouring island of Amorgos and reiterated the advice from the Greek Ministry of Civil Protection.

“The Greek ministry advises people to avoid the ports of Amoudi, Armeni, Korfos and Old Port (Paleos Limenas) in the area of Fira and to choose safe routes when travelling, particularly in areas where the landslide risk is high,” the travel update reads.

“In case of a strong tremor, people should immediately depart coastal areas. If you are in the affected areas, you should follow the advice of the local authorities.”

Crescent-shaped Santorini is a premier tourism destination with daily arrivals via commercial flights, ferries, and cruise ships.

The island draws more than three million visitors annually to its whitewashed villages, built along dramatic cliffs formed by a massive volcanic eruption more than 3,500 years ago.

‘All scenarios remain open’

Prominent Greek seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos cautioned that the current earthquake sequence – displayed on live seismic maps as a growing cluster of dots between the islands of Santorini, Ios, Amorgos, and Anafi – could indicate a larger impending event.

“All scenarios remain open,” Papadopoulos wrote in an online post. “The number of tremors has increased, magnitudes have risen, and epicentres have shifted northeast. While these are tectonic quakes, not volcanic, the risk level has escalated.”

In Santorini’s main town of Fira, local authorities designated gathering points for residents in preparation for a potential evacuation, though Mayor Nikos Zorzos emphasised the preventive nature of the measures.

“We are obliged to make preparations. But being prepared for something does not mean it will happen,” he said during a weekend briefing. “Sometimes, the way the situation is reported, those reports may contain exaggerations […] so people should stay calm.”