Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Calum Miller called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to directly contact European leaders and request a suspension of the EU’s entry-exit system, or EES, through at least September. The appeal came as approximately 2.2 million British holidaymakers were set to travel abroad between Friday and Monday, coinciding with the start of the school summer holiday period.
The EES requires non-EU citizens to register upon arrival in EU countries and undergo biometric procedures including photography and fingerprinting. The system entered full operation in April following its introduction last year, though border authorities had previously been permitted to relax enforcement during periods of extreme congestion. Despite these accommodations, some passengers have missed flights while others have experienced queues lasting several hours.
The travel industry highlighted Spain as the primary destination for this weekend’s travelers, with significant demand also directed toward Greece, Portugal, Italy, and Turkey. Some EU member states have taken unilateral action regarding the system’s implementation. Greece indicated it would forgo the additional biometric checks for UK nationals, while France has experienced technical difficulties with automated border control booths. Meanwhile, French border police have chosen not to fingerprint or photograph car passengers at ferry terminals and the Eurotunnel crossing, resulting in relatively smooth traffic flow to date.
The UK government has engaged with EU counterparts to address concerns, with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander meeting with European commissioners and her French equivalent in recent days. Officials provided funding for EES facilities and traffic management at Dover, where the port anticipated its busiest summer days on Friday and Saturday. The port reported maximum queuing times of around 40 minutes and minimum waits of 10 minutes. Airlines including easyJet have urged the EU to extend flexibility measures through the end of October.
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