There are an awful lot of motorhome owners who decide to take their motorhomes across or underneath the English Channel to spend a week or two enjoying a much needed holiday in the likes of France or Spain to name but a few countries within the European Union. Those of you who have made such a trip over the years will be well aware of the travel requirements such as the documents needed to be permitted to travel around such countries.

Well, from the 12th October 2025, there will be further border checks that need to be carried out. You may find it of interest to read that from that date the Entry/Exit System is being introduced. This is to be known as EES for short.

If you intend to venture to a European Country in your motorhome for anything up to 90 days before departing from the UK you will be faced with more checks at the border in the UK at places such as Dover, Eurostar and Eurotunnel.

In view of the above, motorhome owners should allow some extra time to get through these additional checks.

The countries that these additional checks relate to are: –

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

Let us hope that the above new rules will prove to be of benefit and make the extra wait motorhome owners will have to go through to be worthwhile.

Those travelling on the likes of a ferry to France or Spain will be aware of the length of time it can take to get through the border checks at the present time so it is going to be interesting to see how many minutes these additional checks will put on your journey overseas in your motorhome.

It will be interesting to see if there are any teething problems when introducing these new rules on the 12th October 2025. Let us hope that it does not result in some motorhome owners deciding that it is not worth leaving the UK when going on a short break or a one or two week holiday in their leisure vehicle.

Do make sure that, if you are travelling across or under the English Channel, that you have adequate motorhome insurance in place and you may also wish to consider European breakdown cover in case your vehicle does have a mechanical problem.