Portugal and Italy Maintain Biometric Checks for British Nationals
Portugal and Italy have confirmed they will not exempt British nationals from the European Union's new fingerprinting and facial recognition border checks, according to the European Commission.
Recent media reports suggested these two countries might follow Greece's example, which has effectively suspended biometric checks for British citizens at its borders to avoid major disruptions during the summer travel season. However, authorities in Portugal and Italy have not confirmed these reports.
Implementation of the Entry-Exit System and Resulting Delays
The introduction of the Entry-Exit System (EES) has led to significant queues at some European airports, raising concerns that delays could increase during the busy summer holiday period.
This biometric system, mandated by the European Union, was initially introduced in October of the previous year and was scheduled to be fully operational by 10 April. It requires most short-term visitors from outside the EU and European Economic Area to register biometric data, including fingerprints and facial images, each time they enter or leave the Schengen free travel zone.
While the European Commission maintains that the system is generally functioning well, there have been widespread reports of travelers, many from the UK, experiencing lengthy delays at border controls. In some instances, these delays have caused passengers to miss flights.
Flight Disruptions Due to Passport Control Queues
Last month, over 100 passengers missed their EasyJet flight from Milan's Linate airport to Manchester due to extended passport control queues, which the airline described as "unacceptable." Similarly, Ryanair confirmed that some passengers traveling from Milan Bergamo airport to Manchester also missed their flights because of passport control issues.
These operational challenges have led to the practical suspension of biometric checks on British citizens at Greek border controls, despite Athens stating that it had "successfully started the full operation of the Entry-Exit System."
European Commission's Response and Clarifications
The European Commission informed the BBC that it is "in contact with Greece to clarify the situation and recall the existing rules."
"Those rules allow checks to be suspended for short periods at specific border crossings in exceptional circumstances, but do not allow 'blanket exemptions for nationals of specific third countries and for an extended period of time'."
The Commission added that it is also communicating with Portugal and Italy, as with all Member States, regarding the implementation of the EES.
"The Portuguese and Italian authorities confirmed that they do not intend to exempt any nationality."
Context: Airline Challenges Amid Rising Fuel Costs
The changes to the EU's border control system come at a time when airlines are facing soaring jet fuel prices and concerns about fuel supply stability ahead of the peak summer travel months.
Globally, airlines have canceled 13,000 flights scheduled for May, representing approximately 1% of flights during that period.
Despite these challenges, holidaymakers have been advised not to alter their travel plans, as there is currently no fuel shortage in the UK and contingency measures are in place to manage supply.
