News Digest: New EU Entry Rules Will Start from November 2024

We first reported on the new Entry/Exit System (EES) back in 2022, but after repeated delays, the EU Commission has finally announced this week that it is ready to launch. The official date when the new system will come into place is November 10th, 2024, which means that all non-EU citizens will now be subject to the new digital EU border controls.

Citizens and residents of EU and EEA countries will be exempt from the new system, but all other travellers will be required to complete a pre-registration upon entering the EU for the first time after the new system is brought in. This will involve filling in a form with basic personal information and submitting biometric data (fingerprints and facial images). After this initial registration has been completed, you’ll be able to use the digital gates anytime that you enter and exit the Schengen Area in the future.

Delays are expected at border points post-November 10th to allow for these additional border control procedures, and travel providers may issue further advice or requirements closer to the time. For a comprehensive guide to the changes, read our article Everything You Need to Know About the EU’s New Entry/Exit System (EES)

Two wildfires swept through the Hérault department of southern France, close to Montpellier, on Sunday, forcing residents to evacuate and more than 1,000 firefighters to be deployed. Although both blazes were said to be under control yesterday (Monday), it stands as a crucial reminder to follow fire safety regulations and stay alert, especially if you live in at-risk areas.

You can find out whether you live in a high-risk area and follow the most up-to-date wildfire warnings and alerts at Météo France’s dedicated page here, which also lists recommendations for protecting against accidental fires. Communes also typically issue text message alerts if evacuations are required.

With all the excitement of the 2024 Paris Olympics, it was easy to forget that France is still operating under a caretaker government – with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal still temporarily holding the fort. If you need a reminder of where we were at prior to the Olympics, you can refresh your memory here. Essentially, the results of the snap legislative elections in July saw no party win a majority, and with no party seeming willing to enter into a coalition or alliance, Macron was forced to keep a caretaker government in place in order to provide the country with some political stability during the Paris Olympics.

Now, with the Olympics over, it’s time to get down to business again. Macron has called a series of meetings with party leaders this Friday, 23rd August, and it seems that his aim is still to build a “legislative compromise”, a broad alliance that includes parties from both the moderate left and right. At the same time, far-left party La France Insoumise, led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, are pushing to impeach Macron on the basis of his “refusal to act” on the results of the legislative elections, although the basis for this is slim at best. However, it stands to prove just how unlikely it may be for Macron to get his desired compromise.

There are just two more weeks until the end of the school holidays, so it’s time for parents in France to start thinking about “La Rentrée” in September – the day that children return to school and many businesses, clubs, and activities reopen for the new season. Today (August 20th), more than 3 million households around France will receive the Allocation rentrée scolaire (ARS), the back-to-school allowance issued by the government to help cover essential items for school.

The ARS is means-tested, and how much you will receive will depend on your household’s net income, how many children you have, and their ages – you can find out if you are eligible here.

While we’re on the subject of La Rentrée, it’s worth reminding anyone travelling back from their summer holidays this weekend that they won’t be alone! Bison Futé is predicting heavy traffic across the country, especially on Saturday – you can follow the latest traffic reports here.