The European Union is planning to delay the launch of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)—which will require citizens of visa-exempt countries to obtain electronic travel authorization before entering the Schengen area—until 2027.

According to a report by the Financial Times, which cited sources close to the matter, the decision has been driven by ongoing disruptions in the currently active biometric registration system and resulting congestion at airports.

EU-Lisa, the EU agency responsible for the technical infrastructure and installation of the system, determined that the previously set target of late 2026 is unrealistic under current conditions.

The agency’s management discussed the delay in mid-June and aims to finalize the new schedule in September after reassessing technical preparedness.

The final entry-into-force date will be determined by the European Commission following the completion of testing within EU-Lisa.

Technical disruptions persist in the current system

An unnamed source highlighted the pressure on the Entry/Exit System (EES) currently in use at Schengen borders, warning: “Let us not establish a new mechanism that will double the workload at border crossings before fully streamlining the EES system.”

The EES, an electronic registration system that replaced passport stamping at border crossings, was fully deployed across the Schengen area in April of this year.

The system, which takes photographs and records fingerprints of non-EU travelers upon their first entry, has caused long wait times and technical lockups at airports.

Industry representatives, including ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe (A4E), and IATA, have petitioned the European Commission to suspend biometric checks during peak hours, while airlines are advising passengers to arrive at airports at least three hours before their flights.

Infrastructure and staffing shortages complicate the process

In a letter sent to airline executives, Magnus Brunner, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, indicated that the delays do not stem solely from software issues.

Brunner stated that a lack of border personnel and physical infrastructure to accommodate the new systems in many member states is also negatively impacting the process.

The ETIAS project, the foundations of which were laid in 2018, aims to run security screenings on visa-free travelers planning short-term tourist or business visits to the Schengen area.

Under the planned system, travelers will apply online prior to their trip by paying a fee of 20 euros, and their personal data will be subjected to automated checks against security databases.

Jim O’Neill, the economist who famously coined the term “BRIC” and now serves as an adviser to prime-minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham, has criticized the United Kingdom’s long-standing over-reliance on the United States.

O’Neill, who served as a Treasury minister in the Conservative government between 2015 and 2016, said London operates under “a philosophy of life that teaches you must always side with the US, no matter what.”

The former Goldman Sachs chief economist is “informally advising” Burnham, who is expected to become prime minister later this month. However, O’Neill told POLITICO that he has not been offered any formal role.

Twenty-five years ago, as a Goldman Sachs economist, O’Neill created the “BRIC” acronym to represent the fast-growing economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. He argued that the UK must now diversify its trade network after dealing with an “unstable” Donald Trump administration for two years:

“The first 18 months of Trump’s second term are finally giving them a bit of a shake-up. They are thinking, ‘Actually, we can’t rely on these guys like we used to.’ But they assume this is just a temporary phase, that the US will soon return to a more sensible stance, and that everything will go back to normal. This is a kind of wake-up call.”

The former minister, who currently sits as an independent crossbench peer in the House of Lords, suggested that Britain must remain open to expanding trade with countries such as China. “We must be clear and consistent about the values we actually defend,” O’Neill added.

Speaking ahead of the launch of a new think tank, the BRICS+ Thinking platform, O’Neill is expected to be one of the key voices shaping the pursuit of economic growth as Burnham seeks to revitalize the Labour Party.

However, the economist expressed doubt over whether he would accept a formal role even if one were offered.

Addressing reports that he had been offered a position at Downing Street, O’Neill said: “Whoever first leaked that story, it is complete nonsense. I am not sure if I would accept an offer. It depends. I have a lot of things I would have to give up.”

O’Neill remains hopeful that Burnham can counter critics who complain that his political and economic philosophy of “Manchesterism” is insufficiently defined:

“I think Andy’s first few weeks are going to be very exciting. Let’s see. As I often tell his team, once you put your hand up, you have to want to do it.”

O’Neill added that Burnham possesses “very good intuition,” noting: “He knows the streets very well. People in Whitehall and Westminster often live in their own little bubbles. Andy can handle the streets, and that in itself is really important.”

As the founder of the new BRICS+ Thinking platform—which aims to bring together expertise in economics and trade—O’Neill called for greater cooperation between the UK and emerging economies. He asserted that the UK “failed to listen to these countries during the decade in which the nation decided to leave the European Union.”

O’Neill also stated that he would support rejoined EU membership under the right conditions:

“Yes, I would support [rejoining], but I think it is crucial that some leaders in this country finally wake up and take serious action regarding the deeper issues affecting so many people who want to blame something for not receiving a share of prosperity over the last 30 to 40 years.”

However, O’Neill emphasized that “the conditions must be right” for any rapprochement with the EU.

While the Starmer government has made significant efforts to strengthen ties with the EU, O’Neill described his own stance as that of a “moderate Remainer,” arguing:

“Economically, I thought leaving was a crazy decision, but I also believed that the shock of such a decision could both wake us up to important domestic issues and allow the UK to take a truly bold path… by adopting a realistic stance.”

Data and sensitive credentials belonging to British government officials, diplomats, and healthcare workers have been leaked onto the darknet following a major cyberattack.

The stolen data is being offered for sale on darknet forums for up to £44,000 (approximately $58,000), according to post-attack analysis reports obtained by The Telegraph.

The cyberattack, dubbed “FortiBleed,” has compromised a vast database of email addresses and corresponding passwords. The breach has left networks housing sensitive British government information exposed to cybercriminals and data buyers.

Among the compromised credentials are those of information technology specialists stationed at the British embassies in Thailand and Mauritius. The leak also includes the user data of local government employees, including personnel from the Derbyshire County Council and the Waltham Forest London Borough Council.

According to technical details reported, the vulnerability stems from more than 80,000 firewalls manufactured by Fortinet, a prominent cybersecurity firm and defense contractor providing services to various public institutions.

The datasets currently brokered on the darknet reportedly contain access credentials capable of penetrating networks run by the country’s critical infrastructure providers. Affected institutions include the National Health Service (NHS), domestic energy providers, and key pharmaceutical supply chains across the United Kingdom.

“Healthcare organizations, pharmacies, laboratories, and their suppliers are heavily reliant on these types of products that were made vulnerable in the FortiBleed attack,” said Saif Abed, a cybersecurity expert and former NHS doctor. “This leak should be seen as the first step in launching potentially devastating ransomware attacks that could compromise patient safety nationwide.”

Vladimir Dyachenko, another cybersecurity expert tracking the breach, warned that the operation remains active.

Dyachenko explained that cybercriminals are utilizing valid credentials harvested from previous data leaks to turn the compromised devices into new centers for ongoing data collection.

The revelation comes amid broader concern over cybersecurity and data preservation in the British public sector.

On June 10, Sky News reported that the Ministry of Defence lost 545 laptops and tablets, alongside 744 mobile phones, between January and March 2024. According to information provided by the ministry to the broadcaster, none of the missing devices have been recovered.

Additionally, Anne Keast-Butler, the director of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), warned during the intelligence agency’s inaugural annual conference on May 27 that the UK has entered a critical period due to emerging technological threats from hostile states.

Keast-Butler emphasized that the window of opportunity for the UK and its allies to maintain leadership in the global technology race is rapidly narrowing.

In a separate development, the Daily Mail reported that Nigel Farage, the leader of the Reform UK party, claimed he was certain foreign actors had hacked his phone to extract details regarding a £5 million donation he received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.

However, Ciaran Martin, the former head of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), stated that Farage’s hacking claims were entirely unsubstantiated.