UK politicians push to postpone EU Entry/Exit System ahead of summer travel rush

British politicians have urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to ask EU leaders to suspend the new Entry/Exit System (EES) until at least September, citing the system’s “poorly designed and non‑functional” border controls. The call comes as the busiest weekend of the summer tourist season begins, with an estimated 2.2 million Britons expected to travel abroad, mainly to European destinations such as Spain, Greece, Portugal, Italy and Turkey.

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Kal Miller said the EES, which requires registration, photographs and fingerprinting of non‑EU citizens, is “catastrophic” and threatens to disrupt holiday plans. The British Association of Travel Agents (ABTA) noted Spain as the top destination for the weekend. Greece has already announced it will not impose additional biometric checks on UK citizens, and UK Transport Minister Haidi Alexander has discussed the issue with EU and French counterparts. The UK government has allocated funds to adapt Dover port infrastructure for EES implementation.

The EES has been fully operational since April, following its introduction last year, and British officials argue that its rollout could hinder the flow of tourists during the peak travel period.