UK Border Digitalisation – a Commentary on the Current State of Affairs

Abstract

The commentary focuses on the current process of converting the British immigration procedures into an entirely digital format, as part of a reform brought about by Brexit and in the framework of broader digital strategies in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The British government’s ambitious aim is to digitalise the immigration procedures by 2025, further support eGates and eventually enforce a contactless mode of arrival. The policy plan, its execution to date and its reception are analysed briefly. Taking into account that the government is revealing only selected aspects of the complex system rather than all the mechanisms and safeguards, neither British digital sovereignty in this matter nor the scope of protection of personal and meta-data could be fully examined. The challenges already encountered are set out, with the conclusion being that a human-centred approach is still lacking in the practical employment of the policy. Subsequently, the isolationist or populist concept of protecting the state against any migrant, as a potential threat rather than a potential to be developed for the benefit of the state, is the prevailing mindset. Finally, the current political and economic instability may play a pivotal role in policy implementation and contribute to its ultimate failure.